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Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest six-pointer preview: Team news and predicted lineups

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Tottenham Hotspur host Nottingham Forest in a huge relegation six-pointer, with both sides desperate for breathing space.

Tottenham head into this one with a bit more belief than they had a couple of weeks ago. A hard-fought 1-1 draw at Anfield, where they were arguably the better side for large spells, gave Igor Tudor’s men something to build on heading into a crucial run of fixtures.

That result was followed by a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. It was Tudor’s first win in charge, but the damage had already been done in the first leg, where Spurs were beaten 5-2. Despite the elimination, the performance itself offered real positives and should give the squad confidence going into this game.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, come into this off the back of a morale-boosting European result of their own. They overturned a first-leg deficit against FC Midtjylland before holding their nerve to win on penalties in Denmark.

League form remains a concern, with no wins since January, but recent performances suggest they are still very much in the fight. They come into this fixture on the back of draws against Manchester City and Fulham.

Archie Gray Tottenham
Credit: @thefrederikkejensen / Instagram

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      Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest

Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest: Head-to-head record

The last time these two sides met was in December, and it was Nottingham Forest who came out on top. Under Sean Dyche, they secured a comfortable 3-0 win against a Tottenham side then managed by Thomas Frank.

That result made it three consecutive victories for Forest in this fixture, despite Spurs having won the previous six meetings before that run.

Tottenham team news

Igor Tudor confirmed that Dominic Solanke is fit again after missing the Champions League second leg due to a hip problem.

Joao Palhinha has returned to training following concussion protocols, although his involvement here remains uncertain. Mohammed Kudus is expected to return after the international break.

Tudor also stated that he is confident James Maddison will feature again before the end of the season, while Rodrigo Bentancur is edging closer to a comeback.

There is, however, an impending absence, with Guglielmo Vicario set to undergo hernia surgery after this match, which will keep him out for at least a month.

Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert remain unavailable.

Nottingham Forest team news

Nottingham Forest will be without John Victor, Jair Cunha, Willy Boly, Nicola Savona and Chris Wood for this trip to North London.

Predicted lineups

TOTTENHAM: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Tel, Gray, Sarr, Simons; Kolo Muani, Richarlison

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Gibbs-White, Anderson; Hudson-Odoi, Jesus, Hutchinson

Our prediction

This is as important as it gets for both sides at this stage of the season. With very little separating them from the relegation zone, even a single result here could shift momentum significantly.

For Tottenham, Archie Gray continues to stand out. The 20-year-old has been excellent in recent weeks, and his all-round display against Atletico Madrid highlighted just how complete his game already is. In Tudor’s 4-4-2 system, his ability to progress the ball and win duels will be key.

For Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White remains their main threat. He has been central to everything they do going forward, and Tottenham will need to be disciplined defensively to stop him finding space between the lines.

With confidence slowly building and more players returning, this looks like a good opportunity for Spurs to take control of a game they simply cannot afford to lose.

Predicted score: Tottenham 3-0 Nottingham Forest

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