Chris Sutton predicts result of West Ham United clash v Nottingham Forest for BBC Sport
Chris Sutton has predicted that West Ham United will return to winning ways in the Premier League when they face Nottingham Forest on Sunday 12 November.
The BBC Sport pundit believes that David Moyes’ side will build from their Europa League win over Olympiacos on Thursday (9 November) to register their first League win in five outings, suggesting that the Hammers will win 2-1.
Steve Cooper’s Forest side come into Sunday’s meeting off the back of an impressive win over Aston Villa last time out and while Sutton believes that Forest will cause West Ham some problems, he thinks Moyes’ side will have enough to take all three points.
Writing in his BBC Sport Premier League predictions (9 November) he said: “It’s four league defeats in a row now for West Ham and they are falling away a bit after starting the season so well.
“I don’t think they have been playing that badly but David Moyes has been unhappy with the way they have conceded some of the goals that have cost them games.
“I actually have a feeling they will nick this one though. Nottingham Forest’s away form is much improved and they will probably try to keep things tight, but West Ham will find a way to win it.”
Good opportunity
Whenever the pressure appears to mount on Moyes, he finds a way to relieve it at the London Stadium and the Scotsman and West Ham have the perfect opportunity to rediscover their Premier League form when they face Forest on Sunday.
Cooper’s side have impressed at times this season and only sit one point behind the Irons, but if West Ham have genuine ambitions of qualifying for Europe again this year, this is the sort of game they have to win, especially in front of the home crowd.
Sloppy moments in defence have been the Hammers’ biggest downfall, with mistakes proving costly in the defeat to Brentford last time out and Forest do have the quality in their side to punish West Ham should they slip up on Sunday.
But there is plenty of attacking talent in the Irons squad to put Forest to the sword if they can find their feet and should the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus be at their best, West Ham will be more than capable of ending their winless run and matching Sutton’s prediction.
Another Premier League defeat could well see the pressure mount on Moyes again.
In other West Ham news, David Ornstein has shared an update on Moyes’ current situation at the London Stadium