The Daily Star Ireland
Everton has been stuck in the lower half of the Premier League for several years and is struggling again this season, currently sitting 15th in the standings. With little room between them and the relegation zone, they face a tough challenge as they travel to Manchester City on Thursday for the Boxing Day match. However, Everton comes into the game with some positive momentum, having gone three matches unbeaten, including a dominant 4-0 win over Wolverhampton, followed by goalless draws against Arsenal and Chelsea.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest has been one of the surprises of the season. After narrowly avoiding relegation last year with a 17th-place finish, the team, now managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, is currently in the top four after a strong run, winning three consecutive matches. Forest defeated Manchester United 3-2, Aston Villa 2-1, and Brentford 2-0, and will be looking to extend their winning streak when they host Tottenham on Thursday.
Everton will be missing long-term absentees Iroegbunam and Garner for this match. There is also uncertainty over winger McNeil, who has contributed three goals and three assists this season. Defender Young will return after serving a suspension. In attack, former Marseille player Ndiaye, with three goals, along with Beto and Calvert-Lewin, both of whom have scored two goals each in the Premier League, are expected to lead the charge. Midfielder Gueye, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, remains a key player in the middle of the park.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, will still be without long-term injuries Danilo and Sangaré, but they do have some positive news with Nicolas Dominguez returning from suspension. Their star striker, Chris Wood, who has scored 10 goals in the Premier League, should lead the attack, alongside attacking midfielder Gibbs-White, who has contributed two goals and two assists. Wingers Elanga and Hudson-Odoi, as well as midfielder Anderson, are also important contributors to the team.
Prediction
Everton has been involved in few high-scoring games recently, with their last five matches seeing fewer than two goals. Nottingham Forest has had a similar trend, with seven of their last ten league matches also producing under 2.5 goals. Given these trends, a low-scoring affair is expected, with Nottingham Forest edging out a 1-0 victory.
Prediction: Everton 0 – 1 Nottingham Forest
