Leicester vs Nottingham Forest Preview
- Draw or Leicester win
- Wood to score
Friday night marks the 110th edition of the East Midlands derby as Leicester City take on Nottingham Forest. With the historical head-to-head standing perfectly balanced at 41 wins apiece (D27), this derby promises to be as fiercely contested as ever.
The Foxes come into this clash riding high, having pulled off a sensational comeback to beat Southampton 3-2 last weekend. In doing so, Leicester made history, winning a Premier League game after trailing by two goals at half-time for the first time ever.
Leicester manager Steve Cooper, who played a pivotal role in guiding Forest back to the Premier League before being sacked in December 2023, will be keen to get one over his former side.
A win here would mark the Foxes’ third consecutive Premier League victory, something they haven’t achieved since January 2021.
However, they face a stern challenge, as Leicester have only managed to win one of the last four home derbies against Forest (D2, L1), suggesting the rivalry may produce another close contest.
Forest’s Challenge and Nuno’s Absence
Forest’s manager Nuno Espírito Santo will be aiming to spoil Cooper’s night, but he faces two major challenges.
Firstly, Nuno is banned from the touchline for this game, just as he was during Forest’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night. Secondly, Nuno’s past record against Leicester is concerning, as his teams have failed to score in their last four encounters with the Foxes.
Despite these obstacles, Forest come into the derby in excellent away form, unbeaten in their last six league matches on the road (W4, D2).
This is their best away run in the top flight since October 1995, and they’ll be eager to extend that streak with a crucial derby victory.
However, history isn’t quite on their side, as Nottingham Forest have not won back-to-back derby games against Leicester since 1995, despite their 2-0 win in the last H2H.
Players to Watch: Abdul Fatawu and Chris Wood
Leicester’s Abdul Fatawu was the game-changer in their win over Southampton, coming off the bench to make a significant impact. With his last four scoring appearances for his club seeing him net the opener, he may get the nod to start in this high-stakes clash.
Forest will look to veteran striker Chris Wood for inspiration. The New Zealand international returns to his former home ground and has a history of striking early against Leicester, with four of his five Premier League goals against the Foxes arriving in the opening 30 minutes.
If he can continue that trend, Wood could play a crucial role in deciding this East Midlands derby.
Prediction
This derby is likely to be a tightly fought contest, with both teams in solid form and a lot on the line in terms of local bragging rights.
Leicester’s comeback prowess and Forest’s strong away form suggest a competitive game, but with the Foxes buoyed by recent victories and the absence of Forest manager Nuno on the touchline, Leicester might just edge this one.
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Leicester v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League