Nottingham vs Leicester prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-01-13 15:00.
After FA Cup disappointment and League Cup penalty shootout success, Nottingham Forest return to Premier League (PL) duties by hosting Leicester City in a PL fixture for the first time since May 1999. Prior to Derby County’s rise, this was the premier East Midlands derby and fans will hope that this 109th meeting between the sides remains one of many more top flight fixtures to come. With both clubs in the bottom half, nothing can be guaranteed.
Despite their FA Cup defeat to Blackpool, Forest are moving in the right direction after a tough reintroduction to the PL. The Reds have now lost just one of their last five league games (W2, D2) following a 1-0 win at Southampton and an excellent 1-1 draw with Chelsea, sparking hopes amongst Forest fans that 2023 will be as memorable as their 4-1 FA Cup demolition of Leicester last season.
Leicester were turning the corner after a dreadful start to the season but have struggled since the World Cup, with their 1-0 FA Cup win over Gillingham the only solace among three straight league defeats and Tuesday’s League Cup quarter-final exit. One has to go back to 2014/15 for the last time they had lost at least 11 of their first 18 PL games of the season, so it is fast becoming a campaign to forget.
It has been all or nothing for the Foxes on the road this league season (W3, L6), but as all three of those wins came with clean sheets against sides now below them in the table, that might be a good omen as they look to replicate October’s 4-0 home H2H triumph. A repeat of that result would also be handy in helping them convert more good starts after opening the scoring in each of their last seven league away trips for four losses (W3).
Players to watch: Serge Aurier’s goal for Forest against Chelsea was his sixth in the PL, only one of which arrived before the 35th minute. A more likely contender to strike early is Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho, as three of his last four club goals opened the scoring.
Hot stat: Leicester have scored 62% of their PL goals this term before half-time (Forest: 54%).