Match Pack: Nottingham Forest vs Saints

THE MATCH

Nottingham Forest vs Saints
Premier League
City Ground
Monday 8th May, 8pm BST

THE OFFICIALS

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Lee Betts
Fourth official: Thomas Bramall
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Neil Davies

WHAT KIT WILL SAINTS BE WEARING?

Saints will be in their blue away kit on Monday night.

HOW TO WATCH?

UK subscriptions holders can watch the match live on Sky Sports.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

It’s another colossal meeting at the bottom of the Premier League, with both sides desperate for victory.

With just four games left, Rubén Sellés side can ill afford to drop points in Nottinghamshire with the risk of being cut further adrift at the foot of the table, while the hosts targeting a win which could lift them out of the bottom three.

Saints have led in their last two outings on the road, forced to settle for a draw at Arsenal before suffering defeat to Newcastle last weekend. For Forest, they return to home comforts having beaten Brighton 3-1 at the end of April.

Both teams will target the fixture as a ‘must win’, with a draw doing little for either club in their bids for safety.

TEAM NEWS

Defender Romain Perraud has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following surgery on an ankle injury, with Mohammed Salisu, Juan Larios and Tino Livramento doubts to feature again in 2022/23. However, striker Paul Onuachu is available having returned to training this week.

The visitors have an extensive list of absentees, with Danilo, Jonjo Shelvey, Jack Colback, Gustavo Scarpa and Brennan Johnson needing assessment ahead of Monday night. 

THE MANAGERSRubén Sellés: "For us right now it’s about trying to change the dynamic of results and to try and get that victory that we need and I think we deserve from some of the other games.

And trying to show that we are still competitive and can still win football matches and it will be a big plus for us if we get it on Monday night."

Steve Cooper: "We're at home and they'll be an expectation from the supporters, and rightly so, therefore we've got to thrive in that moment.

"The bigger the games get, it’s even more important to focus on performance and what you’re in control of and use the context around the game as motivation."

ONES TO WATCHMorgan Gibbs-White: With 10 goal contributions this season, the former Wolves attacker has been a bright spark for Forest this season.

Given freedom in the attacking third, Saints' backline will need to be on high alert to thwart the hosts' number 10.

Kamaldeen Sulemana: Returning to the starting XI at Newcastle, the diminutive winger registered an assist for Stuart Armstrong’s goal.

A positive ball carrier, Saints will look to Kamaldeen to provide their attacking flair against Forest.

TOP SCORERS

Nottingham Forest

Goals:
Brennan Johnson 10
Taiwo Awoniyi 5
Morgan Gibbs-White 4

Assists:
Morgan Gibbs-White 6
Emmanuel Dennis 3
Johnson, Surridge, Lingard, Yates, Cafú 2

Southampton

Goals:
Ché Adams 10
James Ward-Prowse 9
Romain Perraud 4

Assists:
Adams, Ward-Prowse, Mara 3
Perraud, Djenepo, Bella-Kotchap, Elyounoussi 2
Eight players 1

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 116
Forest: 50
Draws: 27
Saints: 39

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

January 2023: Saints 0-1 Nottingham Forest
January 2012: Nottingham Forest 0-3 Saints (Guly, Connolly, Schneiderlin)
September 2011: Saints 3-2 Nottingham Forest (Lambert 3)
May 2009: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Saints (Wright-Phillips)
December 2008: Saints 0-2 Nottingham Forest

DID YOU KNOW?

This is the first Premier League game at the City Ground between the two teams since a 1-1 draw in December 1998.

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