Updated Everton face a difficult test on Saturday when they take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, with their third game in a row against top Premier League teams.
But Forest represent a different and arguably more difficult challenge than either Liverpool or Arsenal, as they don't need to dominate possession to secure impressive results under the guidance of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Just a season ago, Forest were down in the Premier League doldrums, but recovered far better than Everton from their egregious and cynical breach of the P&S Rules, making the most of their sporting advantage, for which they were punished less harshly than Everton.
David Moyes finally made some changes against Arsenal, although they were not necessarily what most fans were wanting to see, but the quick penalty following rare subs at half-time gave Everton a point to protect.
However, Forest lost last time out at Aston Villa, bringing to an end their seven-game unbeaten run that had taken up to the heady heights of 3rd in the Premier League. Anthony Elanga was forced off with an issue and centre-forward Taiwo Awoniyi was absent because of a hamstring complaint.
Forest are set to be without Ola Aina with the calf injury that kept him out last weekend, but Alex Moreno will be available again after being ineligible to face his parent club Villa.
So there are problems in attack for the hosts too, with Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga all doubtful, and Nuno was unwilling to give a definitive answer about the status of any of them in his pre-match press conference.
He said via the Nottingham Post: “We are still assessing all of them. They are struggling with problems – some small, some not so small – but we have to assess them. We have one more day and then we will see if they can be available for the game.
“We are hopeful on all of them. It can be all of them or it can be none, we don’t know. It depends on how they recover and how they feel. We miss all the players when they are not available. Chris has been giving us so many things. Unfortunately, the situation with T happened at the same time.
“If that hadn’t happened, I think we would have been more balanced. But now we have the absence of two strikers, it is more difficult to prepare. We are trying to cope. Many of the players are not playing in their usual positions so they are trying to adapt to different situations, but this is what it is about. It happens to other teams and it happens to us now. We have to fix it.”
David Moyes has some competition for places, with Dwight McNeil gaining another week of fitness training after returning late on against Arsenal, but Moyes said in his pre-match press conference that McNeil is not fit enough to start while Iliman Ndiaye, Tim Iroegbunam and Armando Broja are all available to make up his desired attacking combination.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out on the grass and training well but it'll probably be another 3 weeks before he can be considered.
And in defence, Vitalii Mykolenko has returned to training and is likely to start after missing out last weekend. Jesper Lindstrom had a hernia operation yesterday to resolve his groin problem and is probably out for the rest of the season.
Kick-off: 3:00 pm Saturday 12 April 2025
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Tim Wood, Craig Taylor
Fourth official: Anthony Backhouse
Video Assistant Referee: John Brooks
Assistant VAR: Akil Howson
Reader Comments (25)
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2 Posted 11/04/2025 at 02:06:23
I just hope Myko is fit. Patto did ok but limited the way we could play.
I hope someone takes out that snide Yates early doors.
Think we need a strong MF for this one.
Interesting to see if McNeill, Charly and/or Ndiaye can be the answer we need.
3 Posted 11/04/2025 at 03:15:53
4 Posted 11/04/2025 at 09:56:29
5 Posted 11/04/2025 at 11:19:09
As always, go into the match expecting to win Everton.
It would be welcome. For those citing we are apparently 6th in the form league of late, if you narrow that down to the last 6 games, it's 5 points from 18. A win is overdue.
6 Posted 11/04/2025 at 11:30:44
That will potentially play into our hands if they have to come forward and have possession. Draw likely.
7 Posted 11/04/2025 at 11:53:42
We won't be afraid of Forest and I don't think we will lose; it's stretching it to confidently forecast a win, so I will go for a draw.
8 Posted 11/04/2025 at 12:10:52
This is one game where Everton have to be very conservative with their attacking, as Liam says @ 6, both teams rely on sitting back, so a draw would be a good result for Everton — a win would be an excellent result, like the one at Brighton.
9 Posted 11/04/2025 at 13:07:20
11 Posted 12/04/2025 at 06:26:30
How many more points do we need before Moyes can go to see the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock???
12 Posted 12/04/2025 at 07:03:42
Moyes's honeymoon period is well over and there are no incentives to take risks.
13 Posted 12/04/2025 at 07:10:09
With little to play for, I want the team, whoever is playing, to go for the win and enjoy themselves. Give the travelling supporters a show.
14 Posted 12/04/2025 at 07:50:15
Let's hope that they haven't got Friar Tuck in goal, we have enough problems scoring, and I reckon Will Scarlett will turn traitor at half time and we will win with his own goal.
Going for a 1-0 away win.
15 Posted 12/04/2025 at 08:13:38
I hope the same, but I don't think it is in Moyes's make up. He should be trying to build up for next season. So many contracts ending isn't a help, but thinking of building up over the Summer only will not be enough to progress on in the Premier League.
For me, avoiding and being safe from relegation seem to be the agenda. The presser that Nuno Espirito Santo gave is more in line with the agenda I would want.
The most positive thing I took from the Arsenal game was the early substitutions, though the desired outcome was more futuious than by design. But it was then back to negativity after that.
For Moyes to get a draw against the Top 6 is considered a good result. His win ratio remains the poor stat it has always been.
16 Posted 12/04/2025 at 08:52:25
It would be nice to concentrate on players we know will be here next season, for example, Chermiti over Broja.
A battle of the counter attackers. Hopefully Wood is still out, you'd imagine it will be a tight one, so fingers crossed we get the first goal.
17 Posted 12/04/2025 at 08:53:01
As has been mentioned, these have been quick on the break, so we must guard against that happening. I just fail to see what Doucoure offers, yet he always seems to get picked. Hopefully he'll be history soon… so why pick him ?
18 Posted 12/04/2025 at 09:46:49
David Moyes said last week he would like to play Alcaraz and Ndaiye more centrally; well, no better place to start than at Nottingham.
He did say how vital Doucoure is on closing down the opposition; then swap positions with him and Ndaiye, and be really bold and play Broja wide right.
I would imagine Garner will replace Tim in midfield as the game passed him by last week. Also, Mykolenko will be back at left-back.
We don't have long to assess those on loan and those coming to the end of their contracts, so we have to use these games to help make the final decisions on those players.
I think we could come away with all 3 points today.
19 Posted 12/04/2025 at 09:48:20
Derek, I don't really do team selection predictions. I just hope we see Alcaraz start with Ndiaye. I wouldn't imagine McNeil is ready to start, but hopefully he will feature a bit earlier than the 5 minutes plus added time cameo he got against Arsenal.
20 Posted 12/04/2025 at 10:44:09
Don't you think she'll be tantalising Everton defenders?
21 Posted 12/04/2025 at 11:18:39
"Everton team predicted to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at Goodison Park." — Liverpool World
Eh? Ya wot? We're at the City Ground today. And as for Moyes "unleashing a new formation"... Yea, right. Believe it when I see it.
22 Posted 12/04/2025 at 11:48:30
Forest smell Champions League again so Everton need big defense again to keep them out in order to get a point.
I cannot see us scoring enough to win the game.
23 Posted 12/04/2025 at 12:13:00
Cautiously optimistic that we can get a win today, depending on who Forest have available.
24 Posted 12/04/2025 at 12:32:09
Whilst I too would like to see those two dropped, you know for a fact he'll do a DinoDyche and play them from the off.
25 Posted 12/04/2025 at 12:32:38
Skybet have adjusted that 11/4 to a fanciful 29/10 – virtually no difference, but those are the odds I took.
I can't get there today, but I think Forest will suit us. They will find chances hard to create against Moyes's well-drilled team and will be tempted to throw men forward.
I hope I don't put the mockers on us, but I fancy us big time today.
26 Posted 12/04/2025 at 13:24:23
Put your money on Moyes signing Harrison in the summer, he's his type of player. 😱
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1 Posted 10/04/2025 at 23:12:52
Robin Hood stole a crate of red bull, the police said they don't know how he sleeps at night. Nope? I'm here all week. Taps on microphone then walks out.😀