Spurs vs Forest

Competition: Premier League 25/26

Date: 22nd March 2026

Venue: The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Kickoff: 14:15 (GMT)

TV: Where to Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest: TV Channel & Live Stream

Team News

For the first time in a long time, Tottenham's absentee list has now declined into the single figures, after Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Conor Gallagher, Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie all returned from injury or suspension in the Atletico second leg.

Richarlison is also back from a continental ban, while Dominic Solanke (hip) and Joao Palhinha (head) failed to make the cut on Wednesday but are looking good for returns this weekend.

However, Yves Bissouma (muscle), Ben Davies (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Wilson Odobert (knee), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and James Maddison (knee) remain sidelined.

Previously a peripheral figure under Tudor, Xavi Simons sent a selection message to the manager with a brace against Atletico, and the Dutchman has almost certainly played his way into a start on Sunday too.

On Nottingham Forest's end, winger Dilane Bakwa was unable to complete the full 90 on Thursday due to an unspecified injury, although there are no serious concerns about the 23-year-old's fitness at this stage.

The same cannot be said for Willy Boly (knee), Jair Cunha (ankle), Chris Wood (knee), Nicolo Savona (knee) and John Victor (knee), all of whom are expected to remain out until after the international break.

Pereira's midweek selection was that of a man prioritising the Premier League survival fight, so expect the likes of Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Igor Jesus to return to the XI in North London, but Callum Hudson-Odoi's availability is clouded in uncertainty after he was missing from the squad on Thursday.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Sarr, Gray; Tel, Simons, Richarlison; Kolo Muani

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; McAtee, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Jesus

Key lines from news conference:

• Tudor said he thinks Dominic Solanke will be fit to face Forest: "Dom didn't train [today] but probably tomorrow he will train with the team and I think he will be available. He had a hip problem but I think he will be OK."
• He added that James Maddison, who has been out since pre-season with an ACL injury, could play this season: "Yeah, Maddison is already doing some interesting things with the ball and sprinting, he is positive."
• Mohammed Kudus is progressing "very well" and could be back with the squad in "10 days", while Rodrigo Bentancur is "edging closer" to a comeback, and Joao Palhinha is back in training following concussion protocols for his clash of heads with Cristian Romero in the first leg against Atletico Madrid.
• On fan mood after a draw at Liverpool and win on the night against Atletico: "Beautiful sense of the togetherness with the fans. I enjoyed the sensation of us doing well on the pitch and sharing it with the fans. We need to continue all together."
• He was pleased with Xavi Simons' performance against Atletico: "He himself was motivated, was good, was with the right mentality. When he's like that, his qualities come out. So his qualities connect a lot with these things I said now. It was a really beautiful surprise for me. He was inside from the first second of the game. It was nice to find in him this resource we will need in these last games we still have to play."
• Tudor was asked about being charged by the FA with misconduct over his claim that referee Thomas Bramall favoured the "home team" in Spurs' 2-1 Premier League loss at Fulham, and said: "I have spoken to the club but I'm focused on the game."
• On fan feeling going into such a huge game: "There's a positivity but also an understanding the game will not be easy. It is an important game but will probably not decide anything. We need just to keep going with what we did last week."
• When asked what he has learned about his players that he didn't know before, Tudor said: "Nothing new."
• On the challenge posed by Forest: "It's a long game to play, a few games in the game. You need to be inside from the first to last second of the game, including five subs. So a big respect to them because they have players who can hurt us, but as well, going on our sides, going on with our things, with confidence, with courage, with humbleness, with all the stuff necessary to take the points."

Match Stats

• Spurs have lost their last three Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, having won six in a row against them before that.
• Only at Southampton (5) do Nottingham Forest have more away wins in the Premier League than they do at Tottenham (4), winning this exact fixture 2-1 last season.
• Tottenham Hotspur remain winless in 12 Premier League games (D5 L7); in their top-flight history, only from April to November 1912 (13) and from December 1934 to April 1935 (16) have they ever gone longer without winning.
• Tottenham are the only side without a Premier League win so far in 2026, drawing five and losing seven of their 12 games. Only three sides have had longer runs without a win from the start of a calendar year, all of whom were relegated (Sunderland, 17 in 2002-03; Derby, 18 in 2007-08; Middlesbrough, 14 in 2016-17).
• Nottingham Forest are winless in seven Premier League games (D4 L3), while only bottom side Wolves (15) have failed to score more in different games than Forest this term (14).
• Though only West Ham (32) have used more different players than Nottingham Forest (31) in the Premier League this season, the Tricky Trees have made fewer starting XI changes than any other side (46).
• Tottenham have conceded more goals from outside the box than any other Premier League side this season, with their 11 against their most in a campaign since 2007-08 (18).
• Nottingham Forest boss Vítor Pereira is unbeaten in his three Premier League games against Tottenham (W1 D2), with one of his two points while in charge of Wolves this season coming away at Spurs.
• Despite starting fewer than half of their games (14/30), Richarlison has scored more than twice as many goals as any other Spurs player in the Premier League this season (9).
• Elliot Anderson has made more successful passes than any other midfielder in the Premier League this season (1,679), while he also leads all Nottingham Forest players for chances created (45).

Pundit Predictions

Alan Shearer

It's a huge game for all sorts of reasons; this is a gigantic game for both teams. You can imagine the reaction if Tottenham were to be beaten at home by Nottingham Forest. I guess whoever takes the three points should be more than confident they would have enough to stay up. But on the other hand, whoever is beaten, then there's a real live chance that that team will be relegated. That's how big this game is this weekend.

I have no belief in why I'm saying this, but I'm going to go for a Tottenham home win.

Paul Merson

Tottenham were decent against Liverpool and played well in the second leg at home to Atletico. Spurs controlled that game well and were not cut open at the back like in the past.

Xavi Simons worked hard and did well in the last game. Archie Gray was excellent too. Tottenham need these players to carry that form into this weekend because this is such a huge game coming up.

Forest are playing in the Europa League tonight. That tie against Midtjylland is at 0-0. I expect Forest to play their best team in that game and it's also away from home.

Tottenham fans will want to see fight from their team in this game. The fans will stick with the team, if they can give 100 per cent on the pitch. I remember it happened with Everton last season. The fans supported them and helped massively in the relegation battle.

If this game was two or three games ago, I would have fancied Forest to win. But having witnessed Spurs turn it around in the last couple of games, I have to back them. If Forest score first, it's a different game. But I don't think that will happen.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Chris Sutton

People have been panning Tottenham boss Igor Tudor but they will look upon him in a different light if his side win this game.

Maybe he just needs to identify the opposition's threat a little bit better than he does opposing managers – that clip of him mistaking someone else for Arne Slot at Anfield last week did make me chuckle.

Nottingham Forest's issue is that they don't score enough goals, and that lack of attacking threat might just cost them here.

I know I keep mentioning it, but Forest manager Vitor Pereira has still not won a Premier League game all season, after 12 attempts with Wolves and Forest.

I don't think he will win this week, either, although this is going to be an extremely tight game.

Spurs' first aim will be to avoid any calamities like their red card against Crystal Palace in their previous home league game.

They have a few injuries, but they still have a fair bit of quality in their team.

Tottenham also have a bit of positivity and momentum after Wednesday's home win over Atletico Madrid, even though it wasn't enough to turn around their Champions League tie. Now they need to build on that.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

COYS