West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest Preview – Prediction, how to watch & potential line-ups

The London Stadium is the venue as relegation-threatened West Ham United take on Nottingham Forest in a must-win Premier League fixture on Saturday.

It’s not like a fourth consecutive failed attempt to collect three points in the Premier League would relieve David Moyes of his duties (D2, L1), but it would pour added pressure on the former Everton boss.

Left to lick their wounds after a 2-0 defeat in last weekend’s London derby at Tottenham Hotspur stranded them in the relegation zone, the Hammers must answer some questions on Saturday.

For starters, Moyes’ men have averaged just 0.66 goals per game across their last three league outings, with only two sides netting fewer Premier League goals than them this term (19).

With the league’s fourth-worst defensive team touching down in the capital, West Ham won’t have a better opportunity to rediscover their scoring touch.

Despite experiencing a patch form across their last four Premier League matches (W1, D2, L1), the Tricky Trees commence this round five points clear of the drop zone.

However, it’s worth noting that Steve Cooper’s side pulled off a massive upset last Saturday, coming back from a 1-0 half-time deficit to hold defending champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.

It could be a much-needed confidence boost to galvanise the joint-worst away side in the Premier League, with Forest seeking only their second league win on the road this season (W1, D3, L7).

Match Preview

West Ham United

West Ham are already one defeat away from losing as many matches as they did in the entire 2021/22 Premier League season (14), summing up their woeful domestic campaign in a nutshell. 

There’s no sign of light at the end of the tunnel, with the Hammers managing just one triumph across their last 11 league games (D3, L7), beating fellow relegation rivals Everton 2-0 at home in January.

But there’s a glimmer of hope as they’ve racked up an eye-catching seven victories in their last eight Premier League encounters against newly-promoted sides (L1). 

Nottingham Forest

West Ham’s only defeat in the abovementioned run came at the City Ground in August as Taiwo Awoniyi fired Forest to a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture. 

However, to complete a league double over the Hammers, Cooper’s men would not only have to defy their embarrassing away record this term but post only their second win in 11 league visits to the London Stadium (D2, L7). 

That’s easier said than done, especially considering they have netted only three top-flight goals on the road this season, failing to score on 83% of their Premier League travels so far (8/11). 

West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest Potential Line-ups

West Ham United (3-4-2-1): Lucasz Fabianski; Thilo Kehrer, Angelo Ogbonna, Nayef Aguerd; Vladimir Coufal, Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, Emerson Palmieri; Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen; Michail Antonio. 

Nottingham Forest (4-3-1-2): Keylor Navas; Serge Aurier, Joe Worrall, Felipe, Renan Lodi; Danilo, Remo Freuler, Jonjo Shelvey; Morgan Gibbs-White; Brennan Johnson, Chris Wood. 

How to Watch?

West Ham vs Nottingham Forest, alongside all other fixtures in England’s top flight, is available to watch online via live Premier League streams.

West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

Moyes may have received a vote of confidence from the Hammers hierarchy, but another disappointing result against direct competitors for survival could be the end of the road for the experienced tactician.

West Ham fans won’t settle for a point, and neither should Moyes, yet a raft of winter arrivals has made Forest look much more solid than in the first half of the season.

It won’t be a surprise if the Tricky Trees upset West Ham, but we’ll go with a draw here. 

West Ham United 1-1 Nottingham Forest