Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham United: Nuno Espirito Santo’s side bidding to end 25-year streak and this is HOW THEY plan to achieve it..

Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham United: Nuno Espirito Santo’s Side Seeks Historic Hat-Trick of Wins

Nottingham Forest will aim to achieve a remarkable feat on Saturday afternoon when they host West Ham United at the City Ground. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has enjoyed a stellar start to the campaign, accumulating 16 points from nine matches to sit seventh in the Premier League standings.

Forest’s impressive defensive record, with just seven goals conceded, has been instrumental in their success. This weekend, they have the opportunity to move into fifth place in the table with a victory over the Hammers, capitalizing on Aston Villa and Chelsea’s challenging away fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United on Sunday.

However, Forest’s task will not be easy. They must overcome a 25-year drought without recording three consecutive top-flight wins. Their last such achievement came in the 1998-1999 season, when they concluded their relegation campaign with victories over Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers, and Leicester City.

Chris Bart-Williams, a Forest legend, scored two of the team’s five goals in those matches. This weekend, the current squad will seek to emulate that success and create history under Nuno Espirito Santo’s guidance.

West Ham United, meanwhile, has shown signs of resurgence under Julen Lopetegui. After a lackluster start to the season, the East Londoners have secured back-to-back home victories over Ipswich Town and Manchester United, propelling them to 13th place in the table.

Lopetegui’s side can now achieve consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since March and potentially keep their first clean sheet against a non-London team since April 2023.

The Hammers’ upward trajectory will be tested at the City Ground, where Forest has been formidable. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team has built momentum with successive wins over Crystal Palace and Leicester City, and they will be eager to extend that run.

The match promises to be an intriguing encounter, pitting Forest’s robust defense against West Ham’s improving attack. The outcome will have significant implications for both teams’ Premier League aspirations.

As the season unfolds, every point counts, and Saturday’s clash will be a pivotal moment in the campaigns of Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.

Possible Lineups:

Nottingham Forest: Henderson; Aurier, Worrall, McKenna, Lodi; Freuler, Danilo; Gibbs-White, Mangala, Johnson; Awoniyi

West Ham United: Fabianski; Kehrer, Aguerd, Ogbonna; Coufal, Rice, Soucek, Emerson; Bowen, Antonio, Fornals

Head-to-Head:

Nottingham Forest and West Ham United have clashed 54 times in their history, with the Hammers holding a slight advantage (21-19-14).

In their last meeting, West Ham secured a 2-1 victory at the London Stadium in February 2023.

Key Statistics:

• Nottingham Forest has conceded just seven goals in nine Premier League matches this season.
• West Ham United has kept one clean sheet in their last 11 away matches in the Premier League.
• Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White has scored three goals in his last five Premier League appearances.

Prediction:

Nottingham Forest 2-1 West Ham United

The home side’s solid defensive record and recent momentum should give them the edge in this encounter. However, West Ham’s improving form under Julen Lopetegui ensures that this match will be closely contested.