Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur

Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur are set to trade tackles at the City Ground in their maiden Premier League showdown in the new millennium.

Nottingham Forest have experienced a mixed three-game start to their first Premier League season in the 21st century (W1, D1, L1). However, since falling to a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United on the opening weekend, the ‘Tricky Trees’ have racked up back-to-back league matches without losing and defeated lower-league Grimsby 3-0 in midweek EFL Cup action. With confidence skyrocketing in the home camp these days, Forest will be out to maintain their decent nine-match Premier League record against Tottenham (W6, D1, L2). Furthermore, Steve Cooper’s men head into this encounter on the back of eight consecutive home league victories spreading across multiple seasons, their longest winning streak at the City Ground since 2010. On top of that, they’ve kept a resounding ten clean sheets across their last 16 league outings on home turf.

In the meantime, visiting Tottenham Hotspur dispatched Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at home last time out, preserving their 100% unbeaten start to the season (W2, D1). Keen to build momentum ahead of their impending Champions League return, ‘Spurs’ take this trip to Nottingham looking to start a new league season unbeaten in the opening four matches for only the second time in the last 13 campaigns. Antonio Conte, who boasts an intimidating record of 16 undefeated Premier League fixtures from his previous 17 against promoted sides as a manager (W13, D3), seems to have the formula for success. What’s more, the Londoners are unbeaten in their last six top-flight games on hostile turf (W3, D3), suggesting they could keep up with the current pacesetters Manchester City.