Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Prediction 19.01.2025 | EPL

• Competition: England - Premier League
• Date: Sunday, 19th, January 2025
• Kickoff: 14:00 UK / 15.00 CET
• Venue: City Ground (Nottingham)

Premier League surprise Nottingham Forest will look to solidify their Champions League spot when they face bottom-placed Southampton at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon.

The incredible Nottingham Forest continues to defy all expectations this season, and it is likely that not even their most devoted fans could have predicted their beloved club would be sitting in an extraordinary third place after 21 games, with only Liverpool and Arsenal harversting more points. While miracles in football are never out of reach, it appears somewhat improbable that the Tricky Trees could replicate Leicester's 2015-16 championship fairytale, yet they look like a team with the potential to challenge for a place on Europe's biggest stage, sitting four points clear of fifth-place Chelsea.

In sharp contrast, Southampton are having a disastrous season since their Premier League return, and with each passing week, their prospects of dropping down to the second division become increasingly likely due to their continued struggles. The Saints’ poor collection of just six points from 21 league games has understandably dropped them to the lowest position on the table, but the most pressing issue is their 10-point deficit behind Wolverhampton Wanderers, the first team outside the relegation zone.

Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Betting Tips: NOTTINGHAM TO WIN

Forest have been delivering incredible results this season, capped off in the previous round when they held the relentless league leaders Liverpool to an impressive 1-1 draw, once again signaling to everyone that they are serious contenders for the top four spots. Perhaps the shared result with the Merseyside giants halted Nottingham’s superb seven-game winning run in the division, but they have nothing to regret and should instead draw inspiration from the fact that they are one of the few teams this season to avoid a beating of Liverpool.

Espirito's high-flying squad should swiftly and efficiently return to winning ways this weekend, given that Southampton are falling apart and appear to have slim chances of escaping the drop zone before the season concludes. On the road, the situation is nothing short of disastrous for the Saints, who have taken just two points and suffered nine defeats in their opening 11 top-flight trips, including a midweek colapse against Man United, where they threw away an early lead to concede three late goals. With their sights set on tightening their grip within the top four, Nottingham cannot afford to squander such an excellent chance to claim all the points against Southampton, who already appear destined for Championship football next season.