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Leicester’s title-winning captain Wes Morgan believes the Premier League’s elite sides ought to underestimate Nottingham Forest at their peril.
A win for Forest at dwelling in opposition to Liverpool this night would take them to inside three factors of the league leaders after 21 video games performed throughout a powerful season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet’s unlikely to surge up the desk has seen them likened to East Midlands rivals Leicester, who terribly received the Premier League regardless of 5000-1 odds initially of the marketing campaign.
And Morgan, the defender who lifted that title in 2015-16 and likewise represented Forest earlier in his enjoying profession, believes staying underneath the radar alongside the massive hitters will play proper into the Reds’ palms.
“That’s in all probability the place it’s fairly comparable with Forest and Leicester. No-one expects you to maintain that push on the high. So you aren’t actually taken severely,” mentioned Morgan, who’s now again on the Metropolis Floor as a nationwide scout for the rising expertise recruitment staff.
“You go underneath the radar a bit bit, which is nice for the gamers as a result of they’ve not acquired that stress.”
“You are able to do your work with out that expectation. Everybody desires that punchline, that headline: Are you able to win the league? Are you able to do that?
“They carry out higher once they haven’t acquired that stress; when that expectation is way decrease.
“So that you’re reaching extra and you’ll simply be free in your play and what you need to do.”
Forest are presently third, behind Arsenal on objective distinction and 4 factors forward of fourth-placed Chelsea.
They’ve received their final seven video games, a powerful run which incorporates six straight Premier League victories forward of going face to face with the leaders tonight.
COYR. pic.twitter.com/1nby1ZXrZQ
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) January 14, 2025
Can Forest do a Leicester?
If Forest’s followers aren’t already dreaming of profitable the title, a win in opposition to Liverpool could drive them to start out believing.
The 1979 and 1980 European Cup winners have 40 factors after 20 video games this season, which is as many because the Foxes had once they unbelievably received the title.
Forest’s staunch defence and devastating counter-attacking model are each traits that Jamie Vardy, Rihad Mahrez and Co had in 2015-16 however a key distinction could also be opposition the 2 sides are and had been up in opposition to.
In 2015-16, Claudio Ranieri’s males led from early on within the season, with Arsenal and Tottenham their largest challengers throughout a poor 12 months for the likes of Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Liverpool haven’t but proven many cracks to counsel they may fall away any time quickly this time round, which might spell dangerous information for the Reds.
That mentioned, the staff who dealt Arne Slot his solely Premier League defeat to date? Forest at Anfield in September.
