Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche speaking to BBC Sport: "It was pretty much the ups and downs of my time here. In the matches where there's an expectation, we haven't really delivered.

"Credit to them, they defended really well, it was a great away performance. They're an experienced group, I know them well, and they dealt with everything.

"The expectation changes thoughts. People play a bit safer, too many passes. You have to change the rhythm of the game. That's fine, but don't lose the game if it's not your day to score. But it was two really soft goals we conceded today.

"I think there was a bit of frustration left over from the Manchester City game if there's a sense something has been taken out of your hands. There are still a lot of good things here, but I think it was a naive performance compared to that of the Everton group.

"The story changes quickly. We have to stay consistent and stay in the bandwidth between being not too high and not too low. Every game is a big week; I never get involved with all of that. We have to win these games - and certainly not lose them."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest had 70.1% possession against Everton, their most since returning to the Premier League for the 2022-23 season, while they attempted 52 crosses, also their most in a single match in this period.

• Forest have lost nine of their past 14 home matches in the Premier League, winning just three of those (D2), with this run coming directly after a run of nine matches without defeat at the City Ground in the competition between November 2024 and April 2025.

Listen to Dyche on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest lost 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier this month, a low point in Sean Dyche's relatively consistent reign so far.

Now, another defeat to Everton will sit in the same bracket, with Forest unable to pull away from relegation trouble.

With a trip to West Ham - who are four points behind in 18th after their draw against Brighton - looming, this game represented a real opportunity to cut the bottom three adrift.

It was also imperative to recover from the disappointment of Saturday's late 2-1 defeat by Manchester City - a result which still has ramifications with Forest asking for the audio between the officials following Rayan Cherki's winner, and Dyche feeling it should have been disallowed.

Yet there was no controversy at the City Ground this time. Forest had almost 70% possession, but were unable to create enough to threaten visiting keeper Jordan Pickford.

While there was plenty of effort, Forest lacked a cutting edge, although Everton deserves credit for their resolute defending.

It is certainly not a crisis for the hosts, but the last week has been a reminder - if needed after the comparative calm of the Dyche era - that Forest cannot afford complacency and remain in the relegation scrap.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

What did you make of Everton's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Sean Dyche makes made one change to the Nottingham Forest side which lost 2-1 to Manchester City on Saturday.

Arsenal loanee Oleksandr Zinchenko replaces Nicolo Savona, who drops to the bench.

Nottingham Forest XI: John Victor, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Zinchenko, Anderson, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Hutchinson, Jesus

Subs: Sels; Morato, Awoniyi, Douglas Luiz, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Savona, Abbott.

David Moyes makes three changes for Everton's trip to the City Ground

Nathan Patterson and Merlin Rohl make their first starts of the season while Thierno Barry returns to the starting line-up.

Michael Keane and Charly Alcaraz are missing from the squad, while Beto is among the substitutes along with Jack Grealish, who has recovered from a virus to make the bench after missing the weekend's 0-0 draw at Burnley.

Everton XI: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Mykolenko, Garner, Iroegbunam, Dibling, Rohl, McNeil, Barry

Subs: Travers, King, Welch, Grealish, Campbell, Graham, Beto, Aznou, Bates

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

Nottingham Forest ended 2024 by beating Everton away but they have only earned one point from the past five Premier League meetings between the sides at the City Ground. BBC Sport explores some of the talking points for Tuesday's game.

Sean Dyche has switched clubs in 2025 but otherwise ends the year the way he began it, in a relegation scrap. Dyche was sacked as Everton manager on 9 January with Everton 16th in the table and one point clear of the bottom three. He took over a Nottingham Forest side in even greater peril in late October but they currently have a five-point cushion over the dropzone.

Nonetheless, consistency has been an issue for Forest under Dyche. They have suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time under him, albeit an industrious display against Manchester City last time out was a considerable improvement on the lacklustre showing away at Fulham before Christmas.

Chris Wood's 20 goals were vital in Forest earning European qualification last season. Without him because of persistent knee problems, no Forest player has more than three league goals this season. Winless Wolves are the only club whose top scorer has fewer.

A lack of goals is also holding back Everton. They and Forest are the joint-second lowest scorers in the division, averaging only a goal per game.

Both sides rank middle of the pack for the number of goal attempts they have had in the Premier League this season but their quality of finishing lets them down.

Everton have only converted 29% of their big chances – situations in which a player would reasonably be expected to score. It is the lowest figure in the top flight.

Four-goal leading scorers Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were both missing against Burnley, while Jack Grealish was ruled out with a virus. Their absence was keenly felt in a dire goalless draw.

It means that Everton, who moved up to fifth in the table with a 3-0 home win over Nottingham Forest earlier this month, have gone three Premier League games without a goal for the first time in nearly a year.

Strikers Beto and Thierno Barry only have one league goal apiece this season, leaving manager David Moyes to concede: "That's not good enough and we need to find more goals."

It will not be lost on any Everton followers that Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who chose to leave the club in the summer after a nine-year spell, is enjoying a six-match goalscoring streak for Leeds.

Everton beat Nottingham Forest comfortably at the start of December, but that was with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish in their team.

It is possible that Grealish will be back from a virus to play in this game, but Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye will be much missed and we saw how much it affected Everton's firepower when they played without all three of them in their draw at Burnley.

Forest were very good against Manchester City on Saturday and they will feel they should've got something out of that game.

Sean Dyche was unhappy with City's winner but, watching it back, you could see Morgan Gibbs-White hooked his leg around Nico O'Reilly and tried to drag him down with him, so it was good refereeing to suss that out and not give the foul to Forest.

Even so, it was an impressive display. Because of that, and because of who Everton will be missing, I'm backing Dyche to get the better of his old team this time.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Everton at the City Ground (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Dyche conceded Forest were "miles off that day" when asked about a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Everton earlier this month but said he is encouraged by his players' improved match fitness since then.

• He said that gives him a better squad depth with which to attack the next game and believes Forest are "not far away" from getting the desired results.

• He insisted Forest have players who can put the ball in the net but need to be more consistent: "Goalscoring has always been the hardest thing. I place great value in players and teams who can score goals, because it's the hardest challenge."

• Dyche said that his team are "factually in better shape" than before, but that there's work to do: "Everything is not answered. There's still players here who are developing into the Premier League. They're still a side that are developing and I'm getting used to them and still learning about them. It's an ongoing process."

• On his side's focus: "You can't guarantee decisions or the opposition, but you can guarantee us and what we do. That's always the way that I speak to the players. It's parked, the decisions are gone quickly, and we get on with the next game."

• On the increasing role of referees on matchday, for example explaining decisions to fans: "The three hardest jobs in the stadium are the two managers and the referee. Refs shouldn't be noticed. Now they're part of it, and I don't know why the powers-that-be keep thrusting it upon them."

• On the qualities of Murillo: "Centre-halves and goalkeepers learn the game at a slower rate [than players in other positions] - the nuance, the positional sense and the reading of the game comes slower. It's very rare you see centre-halves playing in the Premier League or around the world. He's still learning and doing a very good job of it."

• Dyche said the "excellent" ownership have supported the club, which is in "a good place - other than getting further up the table", while their chances in the Europa League are in "reasonable shape."

• Finally, the boss praised Forest's "steadfast" fans: "If they see a group of players giving a lot for the shirt and the badge, that's a good starting point, and I think this group are doing that."

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Forest fans

Ian: While I can't fault the players' effort but these late goals are killing us. Man City beat us without really breaking sweat. It seems late goals are such a thing nowadays - we need to not be a victim to them. If we can do that, we'll climb the league. Sean Dyche has done well but it's small and important margins that will give us breathing space.

Paul: A draw would have been a fair result today. The officials spoiled the game yet again. City should have been playing the second half with 10 men - and possibly nine. Igor Jesus was fouled constantly.

Steve: A better performance than the Fulham game, but another loss - due mainly to being asleep for the late corner, leaving three City players on the edge of our box. I thought Dyche's tactics were all about defending to a man? More time on the training pitch needed. Forest are in danger of being sucked into a relegation battle - I just hope the three below us continue to be worse than us.

Andy: I don't like hearing Dyche focus on the negatives. We played well and didn't deserve to lose. The difference was that City took their chances and we didn't. This squad is so much better than the league position indicates and I just hope the players remember this.

City fans

Frank: Somewhat scrappy win but those games are the crucial ones, the games that win titles. We look like we're down and out but we show resilience and we fight back. Reijnders steered us to another win and, of course, Cherki's beautifully struck half-volley!

Andrew: Typical City away performance - keep the ball and tire opponents out. A cracking first half, a deserved away win and three precious points. Onwards and upwards to another title.

Ignacio: What a terrible game! Good thing they won it! I hate to be negative but Nico O'Reilly and Matheus Nunes were easily overpowered by Forest's wingers. It's understandable - Nico is a rookie and will make mistakes, but he cannot keep on escorting opposing players to City's goal. The same for Nunes. Make the tackles as soon as possible before they get closer to City's goalkeeper or make a pass for a potential goal.

James: This gritty win spells worries for other title contenders.

Eintracht Frankfurt have opened talks over a potential move for Nottingham Forest forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, 23, who they view as a serious option, should their attempts to signr Newcastle United striker Will Osula, 22, not develop. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Pundits Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-1 Brighton

• Liverpool 2-1 Wolves

• Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The feeling around the City Ground should be one of pride, and the belief Nottingham Forest are continuing to move in the right direction.

The chaos of the start of the season - when Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo and barely lasted six weeks - has been replaced by the almost serene nature of the past two months under Sean Dyche.

He has won half of his 14 games and the performance - despite the result - on Saturday against Manchester City was a fine response to the disappointment of the Fulham defeat.

Yet, while there is still a feeling of control, that is in contrast to the table which still has Forest 17th and in danger.

Defeat meant it is successive losses for the first time under Dyche, a testament to how quickly he got to grips with a floundering team, but Forest cannot afford to allow it to become a habit.

They were unlucky in defeat - few will be so resolute against the City juggernaut which seems to be clicking into gear, and deserved more.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche spoke to BBC Match of The Day after his side's defeat by Manchester City: "We certainly don't lack pride or optimism but I know what you mean, it [the performance] reinforces the good work the players are doing. I thought we were terrific.

"The goals we can pick the bones out of it, but how we don't get the referee today...I'm lost for words. VAR and all this we keep seeing from corners, and then our player gets thrown to the floor.

"We know there's no intention for them to head the ball, he just pushes him [Gibbs-White] to the floor. You can't do that."

Should Manchester City have had a player sent off? "Igor was terrific. I couldn't believe how their centre-half stayed on the pitch. He boots the ball away and then goes down with a head injury, bizarrely. The referee gave nothing. The second player brings Igor down early in the second half.

"That's the gripe of the game, unfortunately. I try not to speak about officials. They do a good job on the whole but today was a bad day at the office."

On a Manchester City's winning goal: "The officials had a massive part to play today and they didn't do their job. I've already messaged to ask for a report on the VAR because I find it impossible that the one on Morgan Gibbs-White is not considered a foul."

Did you know?

• Since they returned to the Premier League in 2022-23, Nottingham Forest have conceded more goals in the final 15 minutes of matches than any other side (53).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

What did you make of Manchester City's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Nicolas Domínguez replaces Douglas Luiz in Nottingham Forest's only change.

The midfielder returns following Monday's 1-0 defeat at Fulham which left Sean Dyche's side five points above the relegation zone.

John Victor keeps his place ahead of Matz Sels in goal.

Nottingham Forest XI: John Victor, Savona, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Anderson, Dominguez, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus

Subs: Sels, Morato, Zinchenko, Abbott, Luiz, McAtee, Awoniyi, Kalimunedo, Bakwa

Manchester City are unchanged from last week's 3-0 win over West Ham.

Rodri returns to the squad having not played since a late substitute appearance in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth on 2 November following a hamstring injury.

It was the midfielder's only minute of action since October as he battles to return to full fitness.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Gonzalez, Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Rodri, Savinho, Khusanov, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, R. Heskey

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (12:30)

• Arsenal v Brighton - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Brentford v Bournemouth

• Burnley v Everton

• Liverpool v Wolves - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• West Ham v Fulham

• Chelsea v Aston Villa (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Brighton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Aston Villa", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest host second-placed Manchester City on Saturday (12:30 GMT). BBC Sport touches on some of the key talking points surrounding this fixture.

Gibbs-White equals a great

Nottingham Forest's performance in their 1-0 defeat by Fulham was underwhelming at best and the match is one that will not live long in the memory.

Chances were at a premium in west London and a first-half Raul Jimenez penalty was all that separated the two teams.

"We got into good moments but never really threatened. You have to ask more questions," said head coach Sean Dyche in his post-match interview. "I don't think it was a particularly good game, but you have to get something from it and we weren't able to. We have to do the basics better."

Dyche has improved Forest's fortunes since his appointment in October and has won seven of his 13 games in charge, with four of those victories in the Premier League.

However, the 54-year-old has never beaten Pep Guardiola in 16 Premier League meetings, drawing two and losing 14.

Forest were victorious in their previous clash with Manchester City at the City Ground in March and are vying to win consecutive league games against the Citizens for the first time since September 1995.

One of the only notable things on Monday night from a Forest perspective was the appearance of Morgan Gibbs-White. The 25-year-old was not anywhere near his best in the capital but did play his 123rd Premier League game for the Reds, equalling legendary left-back Stuart Pearce's total for the club in the division.

Pep talk

Manchester City are on a seven-game winning run in all competitions, with five of those in the league. They have scored at least three times in all of those five triumphs and have kept clean sheets in each of the past three. But despite that excellent form, their manager Pep Guardiola continues to demand more.

"I'm happy, I cannot deny that, but we have to improve the way we played with the ball. Otherwise, it will not be enough to arrive in March and April to be contenders to win titles," stated Guardiola after the 3-0 win over West Ham last weekend.

"I said to my players: 'Merry Christmas for everyone but it will not be enough if we do not improve'. I know the level in this league, I know Arsenal, I know how tough they are. It's not enough. The spirit is there. But many, many things we must do better."

City's 54-year-old boss has also warned his players against overindulging during their short festive break and says he will weigh each of them when they return to training to ensure they are fit enough to play against Forest.

One player who will surely feature in this clash, regardless of how much turkey and mince pies he has consumed, is goal machine Erling Haaland. The Norway striker has amassed 19 Premier League goals in 17 games this season – the joint-most in a campaign before Christmas.

Eight of Haaland's 19 goals have come on the road, including a double in the club's last away trip to Crystal Palace. However, he has scored just once in three previous visits to the City Ground and failed to find the net in both meetings with Nottingham Forest last season.

He will be very keen to improve that record on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has released a statement paying tribute to John Robertson who died aged 72 on Christmas Day.

It reveals his hope to rename the Bridgford Stand in honour of the club legend.

Here is the statement in full:

'This week is one of profound sadness for everyone connected with Nottingham Forest as we come together to mourn the passing of John Robertson, a true legend of this great club in every sense of the word.

'I extend my sincerest condolences to his family, his friends, and all who loved him.

'Today, I have recommended to the Board that the Bridgford Stand be renamed 'THE JOHN ROBERTSON STAND' in his honour and in lasting recognition of his extraordinary contribution to our club, so that his legacy, and our great hero, will forever be remembered.'

At Forest, Robertson provided an assist for the matchwinner in the European Cup final of 1979 against Malmo before heading the only goal himself as the Reds retained the trophy against Hamburg the following year.

He also won the First and Second Division titles, the Uefa Super Cup, two Football League Cups, the 1978 FA Charity Shield and the Anglo-Scottish Cup.