Following a slow start, Nottingham Forest have improved recently and a big part of that is their home form. Since their 3-2 loss to Fulham in mid-September, their only defeat at the City Ground is their 3-0 loss against Manchester United in the EFL Cup (11 matches). Last time out a late Chris Wood equaliser earnt them an enormous point against Manchester City. Against teams around them in the league, they have been impressive here. In their home run of form, they have beaten Crystal Palace, Leicester and Leeds which has proven to be vitally important in their bid for survival and they will be targeting another three points here against a side currently in the relegation zone.

Sean Dyche got off to the dream start following his move to Everton, starting with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in front of his new home fans. He has lost three of his next four since then, but managed to win the most important one – a 1-0 victory over relegation rivals Leeds. Their two games on the road have ended up in an aggregate scoreline of a 6-0 loss, albeit against Liverpool and Arsenal, but this is how the Toffees’ away form has been this season. They have managed just one win and seven points from their 12 games on their travels, scoring just six goals.

Brennan Johnson has grown into the season and has scored nine goals for club and country in all competitions this season. At the City Ground this season, he has appeared 15 times, managing at least one shot in 13 of those and a total of 13 attempts on target. He has had at least one shot on target in ten of his last 15 matches and in his last four here, he has had four shots on target – only failing to do so against Manchester City. In the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, the Welsh forward netted Forest’s only goal in a 1-1 draw, having two shots with one on target.

Remo Freuler signed from Serie A side Atalanta in August, becoming their 15th summer signing. Vastly experienced with 46 caps for his country, the Swiss international has cemented his place in the Forest midfield. He has made the fourth most fouls of any Forest player this season, conceding 20 at a rate of 1.10 fouls per 90. He has made at least one foul in each of his last four.

He has started 18 matches in the league this season, committing at least one foul in 14 (77.78%) and he has made one in eight of his nine starts at the City Ground, including at least one in his last six (with nine in total). Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye are Everton’s most fouled players with 39 and 36 respectively and Freuler will be given the task of dealing with them and trying to disrupt them here.

Vitaliy Mykolenko is in his second season in the Premier League and has impressed at times in a very poor Everton side. He has committed the third most fouls of any player in the squad (25) though, at a rate of 1.05 fouls per 90 minutes.

In his last five starts as a left back (since Sean Dyche took over at Goodison Park), he has committed nine fouls and this selection has landed in four of those games – including in both away matches. In away games for club and country this season, the Ukrainian has played the whole match 11 times, being penalised 13 times with this selection landing in nine of the 11 and in eight of the last nine.