Ivan Juric urged Southampton to point out the identical depth that they did towards Manchester United once they journey to Nottingham Forest within the Premier League on Sunday.
Southampton seemed like they might choose up a surprising 1-0 victory at Previous Trafford on Thursday however as an alternative conceded a 12-minute Amad Diallo hat-trick late on to endure a seventeenth league defeat of the marketing campaign.
It means they continue to be backside of the desk, 10 factors from security, after an 11-match winless run, whereas they’ve misplaced their final 4 Premier League video games in a row.
Juric, who continues to be looking for a primary league win in cost, desires his workforce to maintain up the efficiency degree whereas enhancing the ultimate product.
“We don’t have a variety of stress. We’ve six factors and are final on the desk. It’s a part of the group. We’ve to be extra aggressive in essential moments of the sport,” Juric mentioned after the United sport.
“The blokes are working nicely. However we have to work slightly extra onerous to keep up the depth. I need to see the identical spirit within the subsequent sport.
“[Now] I’m offended. However now we have to start out fascinated about Nottingham Forest. The gamers should be acutely aware that they will compete and play nicely. Our concept is to enhance each sport.”
In the meantime, Forest are nonetheless flying excessive on the prime of the desk, sitting in third after their 1-1 draw with leaders Liverpool on Tuesday.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet have been on a seven-match profitable run in all competitions earlier than that end result, however they now haven’t misplaced since early December.
Having confronted the workforce on the prime final trip, it’s a a lot totally different prospect forward of Forest on Sunday, however Nuno continues to be anticipating a take a look at.
“I feel they competed very nicely [against United],” Nuno mentioned. “We watched the sport, we analysed.
“That exhibits credit score to them within the place they’re having the ability to compete… We count on a really robust sport on Sunday.
“We don’t know the way the sport [will turn out]. So, now we have to organize. Analyse Southampton, they’ve good gamers.”
Sights on Southampton. pic.twitter.com/TM8Qw6eQde
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) January 17, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nottingham Forest – Chris Wooden
Chris Wooden has been concerned in 4 targets in his final 5 Premier League video games towards Southampton (three targets, one help). Nevertheless, all of those have come at St Mary’s Stadium.
For the reason that begin of final season, Anthony Elanga (eight assists) and Wooden (one) have mixed for 9 Premier League targets – it’s the most any pair of Forest gamers have executed so within the competitors’s historical past.
Southampton – Kamaldeen Sulemana
Kamaldeen Sulemana prompted havoc for Manchester United of their loss on Thursday and was Southampton’s greatest participant on the sector, and can depend himself unfortunate to not have scored in that sport.
He had 4 photographs, greater than any of his team-mates, although just one was on course as he created probabilities value 0.4 anticipated targets (xG). He additionally had 5 touches within the opposition field, one other team-high.
MATCH PREDICTION: NOTTINGHAM FOREST WIN
Forest have misplaced simply considered one of their final 12 Premier League conferences with Southampton (W8 D3), happening 3-1 at dwelling in April 1997.
Forest have misplaced simply two of their 11 Premier League video games towards sides beginning the day backside of the desk (W8 D1), profitable every of the final three in a row. Simply considered one of these defeats got here on the Metropolis Floor, although that was the aforementioned loss to Southampton.
The Saints, in the meantime, have misplaced their final three Premier League video games towards Forest – they final misplaced 4 consecutive league video games towards them between 1934 and 1935 within the second tier.
Southampton are winless of their final 23 Premier League video games towards sides beginning the day within the prime 4 of the desk (D8 L15), since a 1-0 win towards Liverpool in January 2021. They’ve misplaced all 4 such video games this season by an combination rating of 12-4.
For the reason that begin of December, no workforce has earned extra Premier League factors than Forest (19 – W6 D1 L1), regardless of the Tough Bushes shedding their first match in the beginning of this run.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nottingham Forest – 63.9%
Draw – 19.8%
Southampton – 16.2%
