Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle United - prediction, team news, lineups

Nottingham Forest can partially numb the pain of Europa League heartbreak by securing Premier League safety when they welcome Newcastle United to the City Ground on Sunday.

The Tricky Trees' dreams of continental glory were dashed in a 4-1 aggregate semi-final defeat to Aston Villa, and they enter gameweek 36 three points and three places below the Magpies in the Premier League table.

Match preview

A one-goal lead from the home leg of their Europa League semi-final proved meaningless for Nottingham Forest on Thursday night, when Unai Emery flexed his trophy-winning muscles to progress to yet another second-tier continental final.

Villa's 4-0 thumping of the Garibaldi marked the biggest-ever win by an English club against an English opponent in European competition, and left Forest with nothing but Premier League survival to fight for between now and the end of the season.

However, thanks to the hosts' exceptional run of top-flight form - a seven-game unbeaten streak and three wins on the trot against Chelsea, Sunderland Burnley - Forest will be safe if they prevail and either Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham United drop points.

Vitor Pereira's men hold a five-point advantage over Spurs and a six-point lead over West Ham United, who must host leaders Arsenal, and the Tricky Trees would do well to ensure their top-flight stay before challenging tests with Manchester United and Bournemouth to conclude the campaign.

The home side failed to fire at Villa Park, but having put five past Sunderland, four past Burnley and three past Chelsea, Forest could score 3+ goals in four straight Premier League fixtures for the first time in 31 years.

Speaking of teams scoring 3+ goals, Newcastle defied the form book to end a four-game Premier League losing run against a hitherto in-form Brighton & Hove Albion side, thanks to William Osula, Dan Burn and Harvey Barnes's strikes.

The Magpies' 3-1 triumph over the Seagulls also means that Eddie Howe's side are just one positive result away from confirming a spot in the Premier League for 2026-27; one point from their final three games will do the trick.

Of course, confirming Premier League survival is not the achievement Newcastle and their ambitious owners wish to be celebrating, but under-pressure head coach Eddie Howe is understood to be safe following a PIF summit, in which he was asked 'challenging' questions about his team's slide.

Newcastle's dire run also includes four losses from their last five matches on the road, including each of their last three to Barcelona, Crystal Palace and Arsenal, but trips to the City Ground have historically been fruitful.

Indeed, the Magpies have avoided defeat in all previous seven Premier League away games at Nottingham Forest, and have won each of their last four at the City Ground; never before have they earned five straight top-flight away victories against a single team.

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

Newcastle United Premier League form:

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Departing Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier will enjoy a first-XI swansong in the final three gameweeks, but not for the reason he would have wanted, as auxiliary defender Lewis Miley fractured his fibula in training on Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season.

Howe does not expect Tino Livramento (groin) or Fabian Schar (ankle) to return before the campaign is over either, while fellow defender Emil Krafth (knee) is a long-term absentee.

Anthony Gordon was at least back on the bench against Brighton after a hip injury, but goalscorer Barnes is in a better position to force his way into the starting lineup over Jacob Murphy.

As for Nottingham Forest, Pereira was none the wiser about Morgan Gibbs-White (face), Murillo (unspecified) and Ola Aina (unspecified) in his pre-game press conference, but the former was at least on the bench at Villa Park after sustaining a nasty cut against Chelsea.

Zach Abbott is in the same boat following his own head injury at Stamford Bridge, but Willy Boly (knee), Callum Hudson-Odoi (thigh), John Victor (knee) and Nicolo Savona (knee) are absent.

A couple of changes are inevitable on the hosts' end, and the fit-again Dan Ndoye is an option to displace James McAtee, who was taken off at half time in Thursday's trouncing.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Cunha, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Anderson, Yates; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Awoniyi

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Tonali, Guimaraes; Barnes, Willock, Joelinton; Osula

We say: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle United

Whether the psychological impact of Thursday's thrashing will linger for Forest only time will tell, but the injury-hit and fatigued hosts may have their work cut out regardless.

There is something about the City Ground that brings out the best in Newcastle, and with that winning feeling restored and a full complement of attacking options, Howe's men can keep Forest waiting to secure survival.

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