Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Prediction, Odds, and Best Bets for Premier League Week 18

Cem Yolbulan | 11 Hours Ago

James Maddison leads the Tottenham midfield into action / IMAGO/Visionhaus

Two teams on the most extreme ends of the Premier League spectrum are facing off on Boxing Day. While Nottingham Forest has been the biggest surprise team of the year since the start of the season, Tottenham has been an utter disappointment. While Forest enters Week 18 in the top four, Spurs are shockingly in 11th place after the 6-3 demolition over the weekend at the hands of Liverpool. 

Nottingham Forest has won three straight games, all against worthy opponents in Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Brentford. Former Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been able to build a lethal counter-attacking team in Nottingham. They have no interest in possession. They just defend well and go out in transition with the unstoppable pace of Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi and the impressive playmaking of Morgan Gibbs-White. 

Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou, on the other hand, has been the complete opposite. They are obsessed with possession to a fault. They rank second in the league behind Manchester City in terms of possession. They will once again dominate the ball but whether they can get the result they need remains to be seen. 

Another deflating loss could finally signal the end for Postecoglou in Tottenham. They have been entertaining and a joy to watch but the results are not there. If they continue to not come, his seat will only get hotter. 

Can Espirito Santo send his former team further into misery? Or is there hope at the end of the tunnel for Tottenham? 

Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Odds and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Moneyline:

Nottingham Forest: +135
Draw: +260
Tottenham: +185

Total Goals: 

Over 3.5: +114
Under 3.5: -138

Both Teams to Score:

Yes: -260
No: +192

Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, December 26, 2024
• Time: 10:00 a.m. EST
• Venue: The City Ground, Nottinghamshire, UK
• How to Watch (TV): NBC, Peacock

Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Prediction and Pick

At this point, it’s obvious to everyone that Postecoglou isn’t going to change the way he plays. He has made it clear that he would rather go down with the ship than change course. He will play out the back, deploy a high defensive line, and continue pressing while leaving huge, exploitable spaces behind. 

In Postecoglou’s defense, his side has been ravaged by injuries lately. His starting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and the starting center backs Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven are still out with injuries. His persistence in playing the same way with the likes of Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, and Djed Spence in the backline can certainly be criticized but he likely wouldn’t have stood much of a chance against Chelsea or Liverpool with that defensive group anyway. 

Chelsea and Liverpool took full advantage of this and Nottingham Forest has the talent and the playstyle to do the same. 

Fortunately, Tottenham is getting Destiny Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur back. Bentancur’s return from suspension will be particularly helpful for a team struggling to get the ball out of its own third of the pitch. The Uruguayan midfielder is an excellent passer and pace-controller that should do wonders for Tottenham’s playmaking. 

The injuries have also taken a toll on Tottenham. This game will be their sixth game in 18 days and they are running out of bodies. Certain key players like Heung-Min Son look out of gas. 

Forest, on the other hand, is already eliminated from the League Cup and doesn’t play in European competitions. They are well-rested and at the top of their form. 

Nottingham Forest to win at home at +135 is good value as well but it might be safer to pick a high-scoring affair. Tottenham simply can’t defend to save their lives but have enough talent on the other end to get on the scoreboard. Until proven otherwise, it’s smart to keep riding the over 3.5 goals in Tottenham games. 

Pick: Over 3.5 Goals (+114)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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