Predicted Nottingham Forest team to play Southampton

Nottingham Forest face Southampton tonight in what looks like a must-win game at the bottom of the Premier League.

The Reds can squeeze out of the relegation zone with three points and the incentive is crystal clear.

Forest need a victory by hook or by crook and they simply can’t let Southampton dictate tonight’s game.

Ahead of the City Ground contest, we’ve looked at a predicted Nottingham Forest team that Steve Cooper could utilise.

Predicted Nottingham Forest team

Keylor Navas is the number one goalkeeper and he will keep his place with Dean Henderson now out for the season.

At the back, there are unlikely to be many changes from the defeat at Brentford.

We do think Cooper might look to go with two at the back, however, so Felipe and Moussa Niakhate will likely play at centre-back.

At full-back, there is unlikely to be any change, with Serge Aurier and Renan Lodi keeping their places.

Here we could see two changes made to the Forest midfield.

Danilo is nursing an injury problem and he might start tonight’s game on the bench.

Ryan Yates could return to make his first start in several months, with Orel Mangala also keeping his place.

Making the three up in midfield could be Cheikhou Kouyate.

His slack defending in the wall cost Forest at Brentford and he owes the fan base a big performance tonight.

It’s hoped that Brennan Johnson will be fit for tonight’s game. If he is, it’s quite simple that he will start.

Morgan Gibbs-White is showcasing some good form at the moment and he will also start.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored the winner when the two sides met in January and he will almost certainly start in the role on the left-hand side.

Predicted Nottingham Forest team to play Southampton: