"I don’t fancy them" - Mark Lawrenson makes straightforward prediction for Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has backed Tottenham Hotspur to beat Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday, April 7.
Spurs host the Tricky Trees at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they continue their pursuit of a place in the top four of the Premier League. They are fifth, two points behind Aston Villa with a game in hand. They played out a 1-1 draw at West Ham United in their last game.
Nottingham, meanwhile, had a dominant 3-1 win over Fulham at the City Ground in their last game. They find themselves just three points above the relegation zone after a four-point deduction due to a breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
Sunday's clash will also witness manager Nuno Espirito Santo's return to Spurs after his sacking in October 2021, having been appointed that summer. Pundit Mark Lawrenson reckons that Nuno's Nottingham side will go back empty-handed, as he shared his prediction for Paddy Power, writing:
"Nottingham Forest had a great win at Fulham in the week and I didn’t realise just how close they were to the drop zone. I don’t fancy them to get anything because Tottenham will come and attack them like they do against everybody."
Prediction: 3-0
A look at the reverse fixture between Nottingham and Tottenham
Spurs went to the City Ground to face Nottingham on December 16, 2023, earlier this season in the Premier League. Most of the first half was a cagey affair, with both sides getting some decent opportunities but failing to assert dominance. However, the visitors took the lead in stoppage time of the first half through a header from Richarlison.
Dejan Kulusevski then gave Tottenham the lead in the 65th minute, capitalising on an error from Nottingham goalkeeper Matt Turner. Yves Bissouma was sent off in the 70th minute for a high tackle, making it his second red card of the season. But the north London side held on to keep a clean sheet and won 2-0.
Overall, Spurs had 68% possession and made 547 passes with 88% accuracy while the hosts had 244 passes with 73% accuracy. The visitors had 12 attempts, with six being on target. The Tricky Trees, on the other hand, had 15 attempts but just one of them was on target.