Nottingham Forest will face Everton in a crucial Premier League match on January 9, 2025, following a significant victory against Everton earlier in the season. However, Forest has struggled at home against Everton, managing only one point from their last five league encounters at the City Ground. This upcoming game is pivotal for both teams, as they continue to battle against relegation.
Sean Dyche has switched clubs, moving from Everton to Nottingham Forest during the 2025 season. Despite this change, he finds himself in a familiar situation, as both teams are currently in a relegation scrap. Dyche was dismissed as Everton manager with the club sitting in 16th place, just one point clear of the relegation zone. He took over Nottingham Forest amid their own struggles, but as of now, the team enjoys a five-point cushion above the drop zone.
Despite this slight advantage, consistency remains a challenge for Forest under Dyche’s management. Recently, the team suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time, although their performance against Manchester City showed marked improvement compared to their earlier lackluster display against Fulham.
A major concern for Forest is the absence of striker Chris Wood, whose 20 goals were instrumental in securing European qualification last season. This year, persistent knee issues have left him sidelined, and no other player on the Forest squad has scored more than three league goals so far. Only the winless Wolves have a top scorer with fewer goals.
Everton, too, is grappling with a lack of scoring power. Both Everton and Nottingham Forest are tied for the second-lowest scoring records in the Premier League, averaging just one goal per match. Despite being middle of the pack in terms of total goal attempts this season, both teams have struggled with their finishing. Everton has converted only 29% of their big chances, the lowest conversion rate in the league.
In their recent match against Burnley, Everton felt the absence of key players such as Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, both of whom were unavailable. Additionally, Jack Grealish was ruled out due to a virus. Their lack of firepower contributed to a disappointing goalless draw, marking three consecutive league matches without a goal, a first for Everton in nearly a year.
Manager David Moyes acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “That’s not good enough and we need to find more goals.” The situation has been exacerbated by the departure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who left Everton after nine years and is currently experiencing a six-match scoring streak with his new club, Leeds.
As both Nottingham Forest and Everton prepare for this high-stakes clash, the pressure is on each team to break their scoring droughts and secure vital points to escape the relegation zone. The outcome of this match could have significant implications for their campaigns in the Premier League.
