Two Premier League teams seeking to steer themselves away from the relegation zone face off at the City Ground on Saturday as Nottingham Forest play host to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While the Tricky Trees have failed to win any of their last three league matches on home soil, the visitors are hoping to avoid a fourth successive top-flight away game without a victory.
Match preview
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Nottingham Forest's nine-game unbeaten league run at the City Ground, dating back to early October, was brought to an end by Newcastle United when the Magpies secured a 2-1 win before the international break.
Emmanuel Dennis had put the Tricky Trees in front before the half-hour mark, but Alexander Isak turned the game on its head with a strike either side of half time, including a 90th-minute winner to condemn the hosts to their 13th top-flight defeat of the campaign.
Steve Cooper's men made a bright start to 2023, winning three and drawing two of their opening five matches to boost their survival hopes, but a winless run of six matches has since dragged them back into the relegation picture and they currently sit 16th in the table, just two points above the drop zone.
Nottingham Forest will look to bounce back in front of their own fans when they play host to Wolves in the top flight for the first time since November 1983 when they claimed a thumping 5-0 victory under the tutelage of legendary manager Brian Clough.
The Tricky Trees have already beaten Wolves at the City Ground this year, though, as they secured a 4-3 penalty-shootout victory in the EFL Cup quarter-finals in January following a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, and another triumph on Saturday could see them climb as high as 12th in the Premier League table if other results go their way.
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Wolves entered the international break after losing three of their last four Premier League matches – as many as they suffered in their first nine games under head coach Julen Lopetegui – including a 4-2 home defeat to fellow strugglers Leeds United.
After the Whites put themselves three goals ahead just after the hour mark, goals from Jonny Castro and Matheus Cunha set up a nail-biting finish at Molineux, but Wolves' hopes of a late comeback were quashed when Jonny's sending off was followed by a late strike from Rodrigo.
Lopetegui was left frustrated after the game following more questionable VAR decisions that went against his side, and Wolves now find themselves sitting 13th in the table, just three points above the relegation zone having played at least a game more than five of the seven teams below them.
Improvements away from home are required if Wolves are to avoid slipping into the bottom three, as they have only won two of their 14 top-flight matches on the road this term – beating Everton and Southampton by a 2-1 scoreline in December and February respectively.
Wolves have reason to be optimistic heading to the City Ground, though, as they have won three of their last four away league meetings against Nottingham Forest, while they also secured a slender 1-0 victory over the Tricky Trees at Molineux in October courtesy of a Ruben Neves penalty kick.
Team News
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Nottingham Forest quartet Chris Wood, Serge Aurier, Andre Ayew and Gustavo Scarpa all picked up injuries during the international break, and the former is ruled out for the rest of the season with a thigh problem.
Brennan Johnson and Wayne Hennessey withdrew from the Wales squad with respective groin and knee issues and are doubtful for the visit of Wolves along with Ryan Yates, who sustained a shoulder injury in the defeat against Newcastle.
Taiwo Awoniyi and Cheikhou Kouyate have both returned to full training after spells out with respective groin and fitness problems and will be assessed ahead of kickoff, and Scott McKenna (hamstring) is also closing in on a return, while Dean Henderson, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards and former Wolves defender Willy Boly all remain in the treatment room.
Neco Williams, Remo Freuler, Jesse Lingard and Sam Surridge could all come into the starting lineup if Aurier, Yates, Johnson and Ayew – who all started in the defeat against Newcastle – are not deemed fit to feature.
As for Wolves, Sasa Kalajdzic, Chiquinho (both knee) and Hwang Hee-chan (unspecified) all remain sidelined due to injury, while Hugo Bueno is a minor doubt with a hamstring problem.
Jonny will serve a three-match suspension following his dismissal against Leeds, but Matheus Nunes has seen his red card and three-match ban overturned by the FA and the midfielder is available for selection on Saturday.
Boubacar Traore made two fleeting substitute appearances for Mali during the international break after recovering from a muscle injury and the midfielder will be hoping to make his first Wolves appearance since November against Forest.
Rayan Ait-Nouri is expected to start at left-back in the absence of Jonny, while Matheus Cunha will be pushing to start in attack after scoring as a substitute last time out.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Navas; Williams, Felipe, Niakhate, Lodi; Danilo, Shelvey, Freuler; Lingard, Gibbs-White; Surridge
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Neves, Moutinho; Cunha, Jimenez, Podence
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Few would be surprised to see a tight affair played out between Nottingham Forest and Wolves, who are two of the joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season along with Everton and Crystal Palace (22).
The two relegation-threatened teams will be aware of the benefits that securing maximum points would bring as they enter the latter stages of the campaign, but a lack of firepower at both ends of the pitch could result in a low-scoring draw on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
