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Nottingham Forest vs Everton Preview: Team News & Prediction

by Alex Lawes · December 29 2025, 18:16
Updated December 30 2025, 16:19
Nottingham Forest vs Everton Preview: Team News & Prediction

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche welcomes former club Everton to the City Ground as they try and get some revenge on the Toffees after a shellacking the other week.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / USA – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Peacock

Nottingham Forest preview: Still in the battle

Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest had been much-improved in the last few months, following his appointment as their third manager of the campaign after Ange Postecoglou and Nuno Espirito Santo, but they remain in the battle against the drop.

Forest most recently suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the City Ground with a competitive and battling performance, but it now means that Forest have suffered three defeats in their last four matches in the Premier League.

Everton preview: Dip in form

In his second stint in charge, but in their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, David Moyes’ Everton have been steady and improved throughout this season, including a 3-0 defeat of Forest on Merseyside a few weeks ago.

However, the Toffees suffered back-to-back losses against Chelsea and Arsenal before Christmas and have then most recently shared an underwhelming goalless draw with Burnley at Turf Moor at the weekend.

Nottingham Forest team news: Wood out for weeks

Chris Wood has suffered a setback and undergone surgery this week and Sean Dyche has confirmed that New Zealand international striker is set to be unavailable for 'weeks'.

The hosts are close to welcoming Ola Aina back from injury but he isn't yet a part of their Premier League squad and so remains unavailable even if he was to be fully fit.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Unavailable: Boly (International duty), Aina (Fitness), Sangare (International duty), Yates, (Injured), Ndoye (Injured), Wood (Injured)

Questionable: 

Everton team news: Grealish a doubt

Jack Grealish, who was said to have been out on a heavy evening ahead of missing the clash with Burnley, could return here with David Moyes remaining coy in his post-match interview from the weekend.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Patterson, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Dibling, Alcaraz, Grealish; Beto

Unavailable: Branthwaite (Fitness), Coleman (Injured), Gueye (International duty), Dewsbury-Hall (Injured), Ndiaye (International duty)

Questionable: Grealish (Fitness)

Nottingham Forest vs Everton prediction

Nottingham Forest have played some genuinely good football under the management of Dyche, with the best example of that being Omari Hutchinson’s equaliser against City the other day. They face an Everton side that are perhaps a little pragmatic and key absentees or issues in the final third are making them a little tough to watch with a Forest win, especially with home advantage, seeming a good bet in a likely low-scoring encounter.

Nottingham Forest vs Everton tip: Nottingham Forest to win & under 3.5 goals

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