Paul Merson baffled by what he’s seen at Everton as season first predicted vs Nottingham Forest
Paul Merson has predicted that Everton will beat Nottingham Forest in this weekend’s Premier League clash.
The encounter sees Sean Dyche take on Everton for the first time since leaving the Toffees in January, and Forest come into the match having beaten Wolves 1-0 on Wednesday.
Everton’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth once again highlighted their fantastic record away from home since Moyes returned to the dugout.
However, heavy defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle at home have hurt their progression up the table, and they could be sitting much higher then 10th position.
Everton are favourites to beat Forest at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and Merson is amazed by their contrasting form in the last few matches.
Paul Merson predicts inconsistent Everton to beat Nottingham Forest
Forest sit 16th in the table, and have looked promising since Dyche came in for Ange Postecoglou, with a 3-0 win away to Liverpool being the highlight of his tenure so far.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Merson sees Everton emerging as 1-0 winners, but cannot fathom their inconsistency under Moyes.
He said: “I just can’t seem to figure out what kind of a team Everton are at the moment.
“They draw against Sunderland, beat Fulham at home, win with 10 men away from home to Manchester United, then get destroyed by Newcastle at home, and now go to Bournemouth and win.”
| Everton | Stat | Nottingham Forest |
| 6 | Wins | 4 |
| 3 | Draws | 3 |
| 5 | Losses | 7 |
| 21 | Points | 15 |
| 10th | Premier League position | 16th |
Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their three Premier League games kicking off at 3pm on Saturday this season (W1 D2), winning 3-0 at Liverpool in their last such match.
Merson’s prediction would mean Forest suffer their first 3pm defeat of the campaign, and a win for the Toffees could propel them into the European places.
Given the fact that Dyche has overseen two consecutive away wins, Everton will need to be wary of how the visitors have performed on the road.
Forest were the surprise story of the 2024-25 season, securing Europa League football against all the odds, and they have certainly come a long way in recent years.
- Read more: Everything Sean Dyche said ahead of Everton reunion with Nottingham Forest – ‘Really messy’
Why Everton’s recent record vs Nottingham Forest is very good
Since achieving Premier League promotion in 2021-22, Forest have faced Everton six times, although their record isn’t the greatest.
Everton have won three and drawn two of the meetings since then, including a brilliant 1-0 win at the City Ground in April.
In this fixture last season, Forest beat Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park, although with different managers in charge of both teams, Saturday’s contest will be completely different.
Forest have gone from relegation favourites to Champions League candidates in the space of two seasons, and they’re now in the process of rebuilding their form under Dyche.
Everton boast an impressive record due to their stability on and off the pitch, and Forest may prove to be a tougher test with Dyche at the helm.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Everton news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @goodisonnews