Tottenham must look to secure all three points against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Tottenham appear to have rediscovered their rhythm after securing back-to-back wins in all competitions for the first time since September. The Lilywhites edged past Brentford at home in the Premier League last weekend, with Thomas Frank getting the better of his former club in style. The North Londoners then followed that up with a positive display against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, maintaining their perfect home record in the competition.
Supporters are not getting carried away by the recent performances, having seen on several occasions this season that Thomas Frank’s side tends to lose momentum after a run of encouraging displays. The main priority for Spurs now is to build on their fine form as they travel to the City Ground to face a resilient Nottingham Forest side in the Premier League on Sunday.
Like Tottenham, Sean Dyche’s Forest were also in European action during midweek, travelling to the Netherlands to face FC Utrecht. The Nottingham-based club emerged victorious, claiming a 2-1 win thanks to a late strike from Igor Jesus that sealed all three points. Forest will now look to carry that momentum into their clash with the Lilywhites on home soil this weekend.
Third time the charm for Tottenham against Nottingham Forest?
Tottenham fans will be hoping that it is ‘third time lucky’ as their side looks to get the better of Nottingham Forest at the third attempt. Forest completed a league double over Spurs last season, helping Nuno Espirito Santo secure European qualification against the odds in what proved to be a highly successful campaign. As a result, the onus is now on the North Londoners to turn the tide in this fixture and overcome a struggling Forest side this season.
Chris Sutton, however, believes both teams remain unpredictable in the Premier League, suggesting that a draw may be the safest outcome. Writing in his BBC column, Sutton said, explaining why he is looking forward to a tight affair:
“Of course, Forest want to do well in Europe but if you asked Dyche what his priority is then it has to be climbing the table. As for Tottenham, I still don’t know what we are going to get from them. Yes, they have won back-to-back home games against Brentford and Slavia Prague but that doesn’t mean they have turned the corner.”
The pundit added,
“A lot depends on what kind of team Dyche puts out on Thursday against Utrecht but if he focuses mostly on Spurs then I can see this being a very tight game. I have already gone for a lot of draws this week, but this is another one where I don’t feel confident backing either team to win it. 1-1.”
Sutton feels that Sean Dyche’s primary focus is on securing Premier League safety this season, despite the club’s involvement in European competition. As for Spurs, they remain an unpredictable side, making this a difficult match to call and potentially a tight contest at the City Ground. Sutton has backed both teams to drop points on Sunday, predicting a 1-1 draw.
More Tottenham Hotspur News:
- Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham – Confirmed Team News, Match Preview and Prediction
- Tottenham must be wary of this Nottingham Forest midfielder who leads one key metric – opinion
- Tottenham handed injury boost with up to four Nottingham Forest players doubtful for weekend clash
The trip to face Forest falls firmly into the ‘must win’ category for Tottenham as they push for European qualification under Thomas Frank this season. With the club currently hovering in the bottom half of the Premier League table, it is crucial that they travel to the City Ground with confidence and deliver a strong performance to win the fans back over. Anything less than three points would be viewed as a major disappointment and would place further pressure on the Danish tactician.
Will Spurs emerge victorious against Sean Dyche’s side on Sunday, or will it be another missed opportunity to climb the Premier League table? Only time will tell.
