Premier League | Gameweek 25

Feb 15, 2025 at 3pm UK

Craven Cottage

Fulham vs Nott'm Forest

Match preview

Fulham have enjoyed February so far, with two 2-1 away wins over Newcastle United in the Premier League and Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup, beating the latter last weekend.

A brace from Rodrigo Muniz helped a much-changed Cottagers side see off their League One opponents to set up a fifth-round meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford on 1 March. Before then, Marco Silva's side will turn their attention to three consecutive Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Fulham currently sit in ninth place in the table and can still realistically hope to secure European football next season, as they are just four points adrift of the top seven, five points adrift of the top five and seven points adrift of the top four with 14 games remaining.

The Cottagers will need to improve their home form if they are to keep their European hopes alive, having won just one of their last seven league games at Craven Cottage, including frustrating draws against relegation-threatened Southampton (0-0) and Ipswich Town (2-2).

However, Fulham have every reason to be confident of success on Saturday, having won four of their last five Premier League meetings with Nottingham Forest, including the last two at home by a combined score of 7-0.

Nottingham Forest have been in fantastic form over the last ten weeks, winning eight of their last ten Premier League games and two FA Cup ties, scoring two or more goals on nine occasions.

The Tricky Trees followed up their memorable 7-0 demolition of Brighton & Hove Albion in the top flight with a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over League One Exeter City in the fourth round of the FA Cup last weekend, after a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side will now prepare for three successive Premier League games against Fulham, Newcastle and Arsenal before they take on Ipswich Town in the fifth round, with Forest hoping to consolidate their top-four position and potentially extend their six-point lead over Man City and Newcastle in fifth and sixth respectively.

Forest have one of the best defences in the Premier League this season, conceding the third-fewest goals (27) and tied with Liverpool for the most clean sheets (10), six more than they managed all of last season. Five of Forest's 10 clean sheets have come in their last eight games.

However, the Tricky Trees may find it difficult to keep Fulham at bay on Saturday, having lost nine of their last 12 league meetings with the Cottagers and conceded in 13 of their last 14 encounters over the last nine years.

Recent Performance

Fulham Premier League form:DDLWLW

Fulham form (all competitions):WLWLWW

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:WWDWLW

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):WDWLWW

Team News

Fulham winger Reiss Nelson has suffered a setback in his recovery from a thigh problem and joins Kenny Tete (knee) and Harry Wilson (broken foot) on the sidelines.

Raul Jimenez is Fulham's top scorer this season with 11 goals in all competitions, including eight at home, and will be pushing for a return to the front line, although Muniz has given Silva plenty to think about after scoring a brace against Wigan last time out.

Willian joined the Cottagers on a free earlier this month and will be in contention to feature in some capacity this weekend, although both Adama Traore and Alex Iwobi will get the nod on the flanks, with Emile Smith Rowe returning in a central attacking role.

As for Nottingham Forest, first-choice goalkeeper Carlos Miguel (hamstring) and striker Taiwo Awoniyi (concussion/broken nose) both picked up injuries in midweek, and while the former has been ruled out, the latter is a doubt.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has returned to training and could feature against Fulham after missing the last three games with a groin problem, while there is also hope that defender Murillo will shake off a dead leg in time to play on Saturday.

Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Neco Williams and possibly Morato could all return at the back, while Elliot Anderson could be recalled in midfield and Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga could link up in attack with top scorer Chris Wood, who scored a hat-trick against Brighton last time out to take his impressive Premier League tally for the season to 17.

Possible starting lineup

Fulham possible starting lineup:

Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Berge; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Morato, Milenkovic, Murillo; Aina, Anderson, Danilo, Williams; Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood