Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest
Kickoff Time: 2025-05-18 21:15 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Chris Radburn
West Ham United defeated Manchester United 2-0 away in their last match, finally ending the eight-game winless slump in the league. Under Graham Potter, West Ham mainly adopts the 4-2-3-1 formation and counter-attack is its usual tactical approach. On defense, West Ham’s defenders maintain tight spacing, while midfielders form a barrier just in front of the backline to limit opponents’ penetration through compact coordination between the mid and backfields. Offensively, West Ham primarily relies on quick forward runs from both wing-backs and cross movements by forwards to create scoring opportunities. Although West Ham’s overall performance is not particularly impressive, their home record is decent. In their recent five league home matches, they achieved one win, three draws, and one loss, with their sole defeat coming narrowly against Newcastle United. This shows that the Hammers has considerable fighting power at home.
Nottingham Forest drew 2-2 at home against Leicester City, who have already been relegated, in their last match. In their recent six league games, Nottingham Forest has only managed one win, two draw, three loss record. In the Premier League table, Nottingham Forest has dropped to seventh place, making it very difficult for them to compete for a spot in the Champions League. Nottingham Forest’s tactics are known for their extreme defensive counter-attacks; their average possession rate is only 39.5%, but they manage to have an average of 12.9 shots per game, showcasing commendable finishing ability. However, when facing teams skilled at ball control, Nottingham Forest often sticks to their tactics of flank crosses and long-ball counter-attacks. But if they encounter another team adept at defensive counter-attacks, they lose their edge. They fail to organize when in possession and struggle to control the tempo when in the lead – this is the reality of Nottingham Forest.
Undoubtedly, compared to West Ham United, Nottingham Forest is clearly superior in terms of strength and overall performance this season. However, Nottingham Forest’s recent form has plummeted, and their state is now weak. On the other hand, West Ham ended their winless streak in the last match, and their condition has rebounded. Taking this into account, this match leans towards supporting the resurgent West Ham to secure points with the advantage of playing at home.
West Ham United’s Last 5 Games: WDLDL
25-05-11 Manchester United 0-2 West Ham United
25-05-04 West Ham United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
25-04-26 Brighton 3-2 West Ham United
25-04-19 West Ham United 1-1 Southampton
25-04-13 Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
Nottingham Forest’s Last 5 Games: DDLLW
25-05-11 Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester City
25-05-09 Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest
25-05-04 Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brentford
25-05-02 Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City
25-04-27 Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Nottingham Forest
Head To Head Record:
24-11-02 Nottingham Forest 3-0 West Ham United
24-02-17 Nottingham Forest 2-0 West Ham United
23-11-12 West Ham United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
23-02-25 West Ham United 4-0 Nottingham Forest
22-08-14 Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham United
Prediction: West Ham United to win or Draw