West Ham United and Nottingham Forest need a win in their upcoming Premier League meeting.
That’s according to BBC Sport commentator Chris Sutton, who predicts a 2-1 win for Forest on Saturday (17 February).
The City Ground will be the venue for the Premier League clash, where the home side are currently 16th and the Hammers eighth.
“It’s safe to say that both teams need a win – neither of them have achieved one in the league until 2024 – and this game is hard to predict,” Sutton told BBC Sport.
“Normally with West Ham, you would wonder whether they will bounce back from the 6-0 home defeat to Arsenal.
“I will say they won’t. We know David Moyes’ teams have been resilient in the past, but I can’t back anyone who was beaten so heavily last week – it’s not just a case of clicking fingers and turning around.
“The Hammers certainly can’t be as sloppy as they were against Arsenal, but my money is on Nottingham Forest to find a way through.”
West Ham on top?
It’s true that the Hammers and Forest could afford all three points as both clubs have endured a torrid start to the year. But it is Forest who need the win more urgently as the pressure mounts on manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
The club are well and truly done in the race for a new manager, although they will still have the full backing of the crowd at the City Ground on Saturday. The home fans will do everything they can to give David Moyes and his players a hostile atmosphere.
And the away side will be desperate to put a smile on the faces of the fans who smashed Arsenal 6-0 at the London Stadium last time out.
Nottingham could be a cautious match as neither club wants to make a mistake in this important league encounter. If the pressure is on Nuno, it is certainly on Moyes, although he has done a very good job again this season at West Ham.