West Ham United could play spoiler to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and ruin their UEFA competition destination for next season. The Tricky Trees could still land a Champions League slot for next season, but only if they can take of business on their end. It should not be too difficult, given how bad the Hammers have been this season, but then again, Forest has faded down the stretch here. Plus the Irons were on fire against Manchester United last weekend.
Of course, even if Forest has to settle for Europa League, or even Conference League, it would still be a massive win for them.
Nottingham Forest at West Ham United FYIs
Kick: Sun. May 18, 2:15pm, London Stadium, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Team News Starting XI Predictions
Premier League Standing: Nottingham Forest 7th, 62 pts West Ham United 15th, 34 pts
Google Result Probability Nottingham Forest 38% Draw 28% West Ham United 34%
Whichever UEFA tournament they end up in next term, it will mark their first appearance in continental competition in three decades. What a tremendous job by Nuno Espirito Santo, as this club has just been focused on mere survival the past couple seasons.
Starting Lineup Predictions
Nottingham Forest
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Wood
West Ham United
Areola; Cresswell, Kilman, Todibo; Coufal, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Wan-Bissaka; Paqueta; Bowen, Kudus
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter