Chris Sutton predicts result of Everton v Nottingham Forest Premier League clash
Chris Sutton has made his prediction for the Premier League clash between Everton and Nottingham Forest on Sunday 21 April.
The Toffees have won just one of their last 15 games and were thumped 6-0 by Chelsea in their last outing, while Forest have won just one of their last nine games with both clubs in a relegation battle following points deductions for breaching PSR limits.
Now the two teams meet in a huge clash at Goodison Park and making his predictions for BBC Sport (18 April), Sutton backed Sean Dyche’s side to channel their “anger” from the defeat to Chelsea and claim a 2-1 win.
“This game could be dubbed ‘the deduction derby’ and it’s hard to know what to expect from either team,” he said. “I had Everton down to get a draw at Chelsea last time out, so I was only six goals out.
“The questions here are whether Sean Dyche’s side are going to respond to that heavy defeat, and also whether Toffees striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is going to be fit.
“Without him, Everton do lack a bit of bite. Beto missed a chance from three yards out on Monday that reminded me of me, in the days when I played for Chelsea and was even missing when I was stood inside the goal.
“Nottingham Forest are hardly in great form either, with one win in nine games, so the safest thing here would be to go for a draw.
“I am not going to do that, though. It’s a big game at the bottom and I think there will be a winner… and I am going for Everton to sneak it, on the basis that they will show some anger after losing 6-0. Everton 2-1 Nottingham Forest.”
Everton must beat Nottingham Forest for survival
The Toffees currently sit two points above the relegation zone, with Nottingham Forest just below them, but there is no room for error anymore.
Burnley are somehow beginning to find results, while Luton have been a jack-in-the-box all season and been able to pick up points where nobody expected them to.
This would be a huge chance for the Toffees to be able to create a gap between themselves and the teams below them, and with time running out on the season, one win could make all the difference.
Obviously, for Dyche, that objective hasn’t changed, and it won’t be any easier to get after just one win in 15 and getting thumped in the last game.
But Goodison Park will be rocking, knowing how important this game is, and they may be able to secure their Premier League place by turning up and taking all three points to prove Sutton right.
In other Everton news, David Ornstein has shared an update on the future of Dele Alli.
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