EPL Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Preview: Tips, Odds, and Prediction

Nottingham Forest have been the biggest surprise of any of the 20 teams in the top-flight this season.

Their success has largely been due to their impenetrable defence and the abilities of their shot-stopping extraordinaire, Matz Sels. They can currently boast five clean sheets in a row, which is an incredible feat in such a competitive and difficult league.

Only promoted to the Premier League in 2022, they finished 17th last season, narrowly avoiding relegation by just six points. This season, they are only six points from the top and have won more games than Arsenal above them.

Their current form in the top-flight is their best in almost 60 years, since their 1966-67 season, when they mounted a challenge for the First Division trophy, only to be pipped by Manchester United, a team they have already beaten this season.

They are currently eight points higher in 20 games than they finished their entire last season’s campaign on. Of the 70 teams in history to have secured at least 40 points from their opening 20 games of a Premier League season, only four have failed to finish in the top four, so Champions League qualification is currently looking very likely for West Bridgford outfit, who won back-to-back European Cups under Brian Clough in 1978-80.

The Saints are having a rough time since their return to the Premier League this season. Having finished fourth in the Championship last year, their prospects of staying up were not looking good anyway, but it could actually end in even worse than relegation if that’s even possible.

Derby’s famous 2007-8 season where they finished last with the lowest points tally (11) ever seen in the Premier League, winning just one game and a -69-goal difference.

Southampton have also won only once and have just six points from 20 league games. The fact that Southampton are the leading team for errors leading to goals, with 11, doesn’t bode well for them turning this disastrous season around.

In the last 122 years, only five teams have ever had six points or less at this stage in the season and all five were ultimately relegated.

New boss Ivan Juric has been tasked with survival following the sacking of Russell Martin. The Croat was able to make an impact despite a 1-0 defeat to West Ham in his first game in charge, but The Saints looked a little livelier with 6ft 7in striker Paul Onauchu up front, also limiting their victors to just two shots on target.

They scored in their next game against Crystal Palace and only lost by a goal at 2-1. But then came a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Brentford in their opening game of the year, and they next have to contend with Manchester United at Old Trafford, which is like a cup final game to most teams.

They visit the Theatre of Dreams off the back of a 3-0 FA Cup win over Swansea, who are 12th in the Championship. It should provide enough motivation to give The Red Devils a good game, but that remains to be seen.