Nottingham Forest vs Everton LIVE: Struggling Toffees aim to climb out of the Premier League’s bottom three at the City Ground while Steve Cooper’s side look to lift themselves from the relegation battle
Follow Sportsmail’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Everton.
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How Steve Cooper has gone from facing the sack to giving Forest a fighting chance of avoiding relegation
Nottingham Forest are one of only four clubs in the bottom half of the table who haven’t changed managers this season.
Steve Cooper’s survival prospects looked bleak on October 3 when Forest were hammered 4-0 at Leicester and were last with four points from eight games.
But in his darkest moment, the supporters made their support clear and owner Evangelos Marinakis backed him with a new contract.
Since then, Cooper has helped Forest and their 30 post-promotion signings rise to 14th though Sunday’s home game against Everton still looks a six-pointer.
JOE BERNSTEIN takes a look at how and why Cooper has defied the odds so far:
Update on Mykolenko’s absence
Ben Godfrey comes in for Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back today, with Everton confirming the Ukrainian misses out through illness.
Vitalii Mykolenko misses today's game due to illness. #NFOEVE pic.twitter.com/bQKa7XhwGC
Both Forest and Everton will be hoping to put 4-0 hammerings behind them at the City Ground today.
Forest were humiliated by Premier League strugglers West Ham at the London Stadium last Saturday, while Arsenal comfortably put four past Everton on Wednesday night.
So with team news out the way, we are less than an hour away from kick-off at the City Ground.
Everton, who are 18th, can leapfrog Leeds and West Ham with a first Premier League away win since October 1.
Nottingham Forest are slightly more comfortable, currently sat in 14th, but they are only four points off the bottom three.
Could Demarai Gray provide some much needed ammunition for Everton as he fills the No 9 spot this afternoon?
TEAM NEWS: Gray leads the line for Everon with Dominic Calvert-Lewin still out
Sean Dyche makes two changes after his side got hammered 4-0 at Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Ben Godfrey comes in for Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back, while Demarai Gray replaces Neil Maupay in the front line.
There is no Dominic Calvert-Lewin who continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Dyche said ‘we’ll see’ earlier this week about whether the England striker would feature.
Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Iwobi, Onana, Gueye, Doucoure, McNeil, Gray.
🔵 TEAM NEWS 🔵#NFOEVE pic.twitter.com/ceo53CoetI
TEAM NEWS: Nottingham Forest make one change
Serge Aurier comes in for Neco Williams but Steve Cooper keeps everything else the same from their 4-0 hammering at West Ham.
Forest XI: Navas, Aurier, Worrall, Felipe, Lodi, Freuler, Shelvey, Colback, Johnson, Gibbs-White, Wood.
☝️ One change from #WHUNFO.
🇨🇮 Serge back in the XI.
💪 Yatesy back in the squad.
Introducing your Forest line-up to take on @Everton.
#NFOEVE pic.twitter.com/gvE6AZotAj
Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games at the City Ground, winning and drawing four respectively.
Everton, as mentioned below, have picked up just six points out of a possible 15 in their last five. They have registered wins over Arsenal and Leeds in that period.
But the Toffees have lost 11 of their last 14 matches in all competitions – and must win today to kick on ahead of the run-in.
Both sides come into this one on the back of 4-0 hammerings.
Sean Dyche and his squad have arrived at the City Ground in the hope of a valuable three points that would take them out of the relegation zone.
Dyche has endured a challenging start to life as Everton boss, with the Toffees losing three out of five since he took over, despite beating Arsenal in his first game in charge.
Can he get a run of results going and save Everton’s season?
Welcome to our live coverage of Nottingham Forest vs Everton in what could be a defining fixture come the end of the season.
Both sides are in desperate need of three points in a bid to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation.
Stick with us for team news in just under 15 minutes.
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