Nottingham Forest’s five-game winning run is their longest in the top flight since the 1990s, and it has propelled them into the top three.
Top Six Finish
Wolves vs Forest – Draw No Bet
Odds courtesy of Parimatch. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change
The Premier League’s top six market has Nottingham Forest priced at 1.80 as the sixth-most likely team to break into the top six European places. It’s no surprise why, given their relentless return of points and performance on the underlying metrics. They’re priced at 4.50 to finish in the Top 4, with Manchester City and Newcastle joining Arsenal and Liverpool as the bookmakers’ four most-fancied sides.
Not only are Forest keeping pace with Liverpool in the standings, but they are also the only team to have beaten the Reds this season, and they did it at Anfield. Nuno Espirito Santo was the only manager to outwit Arne Slot in 2024. That famous Anfield win (0-1) was the only occasion Arne Slot’s Feyenoord or Liverpool team fell to defeat.
The 0-1 win at Anfield, which came straight after an international break, highlights how competent Forest are at the back. “Defences win titles” is a phrase often heard in England. Although this side might not have enough to end as the best team in England in May, their xGA (expected goals against) of 19.6 in defensive areas best explains how tough they are to beat. Only Arsenal and Liverpool have had a smaller expected goals against total after 19 games in the 2024/25 season than Forest.
As Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga, Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White continue to influence games in the final third in front of a robust defence, it’s worth taking a chance on Forest breaking into the top six.
The January transfer window is upon us. With the likes of Galatasaray’s Baras Yilmaz linked with a move to Forest, there are rumours that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side might get even stronger. Forest refused to allow their best players to leave in the summer, and Evangelos Marinakis will retake a similar stance. One or two more additions to an in-form squad might give Forest the boost they need to push forward.
Wolves, Luton (FA Cup), and Liverpool are the Tricky Trees’ opening three matches of 2025. Following Vitor Pereira’s arrival, Wolves are showing signs of improvement in their performance. Nuno’s fellow Portuguese head coach has offered Wolves a glimmer of hope when they needed it most. Considering the recent form of the hosts, it could be a good opportunity to back Nottingham Forest if you believe they can avoid defeat in Wolverhampton.
The ‘Draw No Bet’ option at 1.72 offers security in case of a draw. If Forest tie the game, then full stakes are returned. Given Forest have only lost four games this season, this selection has failed to return the stakes in just four of 19 matches. Forest’s 11.5 xGA conceded in ten away games suggests chances might be at a premium for Wolves.
Despite the arrival of a new manager, Wolves are still the same team that have conceded 42 goals in 19 fixtures. That’s the worst return in the Premier League, with an average of 2.21 goals conceded per 90 minutes. Nottingham Forest can take advantage of that.