English Premier
2026-03-22 - Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 22nd March 2026 - Kick Off 2:15pm
This game is live on TV
Tottenham Hotspur
Igor Tudor has been pretty testy with the media during a poor run of form for his Tottenham Hotspur squad, and he has not really changed his mood even after a couple of positive results. There has been plenty of criticism thrown at the interim manager and reports had suggested Tottenham Hotspur were thinking of making another change, but the squad have produced two big performances this past week.
The 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League will have given the Tottenham Hotspur squad a lift, even if they were beaten 7-5 on aggregate. More important was the point earned late on at Anfield last Sunday which keeps Tottenham Hotspur in 16th place in the Premier League table and a point clear of West Ham United in the relegation places. The side have a 2-4-9 home record in the Premier League and that is the worst home record in the top flight this season to this stage of the campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur had lost 6 in a row in all competitions and looked on course for another defeat last Sunday before Richarlison scored a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool. Beating Atletico Madrid at home is a result that the Spurs fans will be hoping can be the foundation for another big result, but they have watched the team fail to win any of the last 7 Premier League games here and Tottenham Hotspur have lost 3 in a row in the top Division of English Football.
Joao Palhinha and Dominic Solanke are both hoping to be available for selection this weekend. Cristian Romero was back during the midweek win against Atletico Madrid and partners Micky van de Ven who served a suspension last weekend.
Nottingham Forest
The appointment of Vitor Pereira came with two ambitions- one is to ensure Nottingham Forest are still playing in the Premier League next season and the other is trying to earn a spot in the Champions League by winning the Europa League. Domestic results have not picked up as manager and owner would have hoped, but Nottingham Forest do have a big Europa League Quarter Final to look forward to next month against Porto.
They needed Extra Time and then Penalties to win on Thursday night in Midtjylland, but the focus now shifts to a huge relegation six pointer on Sunday when 17th placed Nottingham Forest travel to face the team a point and a place above them in the Premier League standings. The Tricky Trees have a 4-3-8 away record in the top flight where they have scored 15 goals and conceded 24.
Nottingham Forest had failed to win any of 6 games in all competitions and had been beaten in 4 of those, but snapped the run with the 1-2 win in Denmark on Thursday. They have won both away Europa League games under Vitor Pereira, but the Premier League fixtures on their travels have ended in a Nottingham Forest defeat at Brighton and a late 2-2 draw at Manchester City.
Wholesale changes were made for the Europa League Last 16 Second Leg, but some of those expected to start this one were used from the substitute bench.
Head to Head
Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at the City Ground earlier this season.
They had lost on 3 previous visits to take on Spurs, but Nottingham Forest snapped that run in a 1-2 win here last season.
Prediction
The tagline of a 'relegation six pointer' has to be used for a fixture like this one when 16th placed Tottenham Hotspur host 17th placed Nottingham Forest. These two teams are a point and goal difference respectively from sitting inside the bottom three of the Premier League and a West Ham United win on Sunday will mean that one of Spurs or Forest are going to be in the relegation zone for the remainder of the month.
There is a lot of pressure on two managers who have only recently been appointed with the target of helping the clubs avoid relegation.
Both oversaw European wins during the week, although Tottenham Hotspur played on Wednesday and Nottingham Forest were playing away from home on Thursday. The latter also needed Extra Time and Penalties to overcome Midtjylland and Vitor Pereira was forced to use some of his bigger names to help Nottingham Forest get over the line.
It is a potential factor that makes the difference on the day when travelling to North London, while Igor Tudor will be encouraged by the improved results that Tottenham Hotspur have picked up over the last eight days.
A draw at Anfield was followed by a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Tottenham Hotspur do have some momentum. There are still some vulnerabilities about them, but having the two first choice centre halves available has to be a big help, while Spurs look to have a couple more options coming from the bench than they did a couple of weeks ago.
Those could help in what is likely to be a tense fixture where the first goal feels like it could be the key.
Nottingham Forest have played well at times since Vitor Pereira arrived, but they have been inconsistent in the final third.
Frustration would have built in another home game without a goal, but Nottingham Forest have been a little more composed away from the City Ground. They have scored in all 4 away games played since this manager took over, while Nottingham Forest have scored at least twice in 3 of those matches.
It makes them dangerous against a Tottenham Hotspur team who will allow big chances, but Spurs will also feel they can have their opportunities against an opponent that has not kept an away clean sheet in the last 3 in all competitions.
The pressure around this fixture could make it harder for the attacking players to express themselves as they have been able to do in European Football, but neither defence looks trustworthy to keep the other team out.
The longer the game is goalless, the more tense it will become, but the feeling is that both managers will want to see their team getting forward and it could lead to a surprisingly entertaining game. A narrow edge has to be given to Tottenham Hotspur, but Nottingham Forest will be playing with plenty of belief too as long as they have replenished any lost energy from the long match played on Thursday.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Nottingham Forest
