Games involving both sides have certainly seen plenty of action and goals and with a scrappy affair likely on its way here, we could expect some more leaks at the back here. Both teams conceded three goals last time out, and Everton were unlucky not to have scored some goals themselves after a fairly decent attacking performance against Man United. Forest have scored two goals in their last three games so are certainly showing their attacking threat.

Everton have conceded nine goals over their last 5 fixtures and seem to be struggling heavily with their organisation at the back with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford causing some real problems last weekend. Sean Dyche’s side have only kept 2 clean sheets in the Premier League this season and up against a Forest side that have scored in every game this season bar three fixtures, including away games to Liverpool and Man City, there’s little hope for Jordan Pickford to pick up his third of the season.

The Toffees are certainly capable of causing attacking troubles. Everton generated a higher xG than Man United last week, and they currently sit 9th in the league for total xG this season, fractions behind Spurs and league leaders Arsenal.

Forest have been in fine scoring form of late, netting eight in their last four league outings with the likes of Anthony Elanga really finding his stride. Certainly a big loss in Taiwo Awoniyi who will miss the next few months through injury, but there’s lots of depth up top for Steve Cooper’s side. Both teams to score has been a huge market for Forest’s games this season, landing in 62% of their fixtures and 83% during their home fixtures. Three clean sheets also for Forest this year, with only one at home, this could invite some serious pressure on the hosts.

Seven of Forests and Everton’s Premier League fixtures have seen over 2.5 goals this season and with some recent worrying defensive displays these last few weeks for both, this market certainly looks valuable for Saturday.

Predictions:

⚽ Over 2.5 goals @ 1.95

⚽  Both teams to score @ 1.73

You can’t look past Anthony Elanga’s stellar form coming into this matchup. Elanga has scored in his last two games for Forest and the former Man Utd star is looking like their best attacking output currently, especially considering Taiwo Awoniyi absence over the next few months.

Due to Awoniyi’s absence, Steve Copper may consider playing Elanga through the middle if he deems Chris Wood and Divock Origi not be worthy of a starting place, but even if he is to start on the wing, he can still pose a great threat. The Swede is averaging an impressive 2.17 shots on goal per 90 with 1.20 of those hitting the target, only Chris Wood beats him in these averages but has played just shy of half the number of minutes. If Forest adopt the same attacking tactics here as they did against Brighton, attacking through the middle and a high shot frequency when in possession after registering 18 shots at goal, there should be plenty of opportunity for Elanga to get involved and test the Everton defence.

Switching to the Toffees now, Abdoulaye Doucoure has seen a fantastic evolution in his midfield role so far this season, seeing him slot in just behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, allowing him to press defences and have shots on goal.

Doucoure is the top scorer in this Everton side (4) and he has been key to Dyche’s attacking presence. He was very unlucky not to get on the scoresheet against Man Utd AT LEAST once as he proved to sparkle in an otherwise dire Everton attack.

The Everton man averaged an impressive 1.76 shots per 90 and 1.04 shots on target to the same measure, the second best numbers in the squad after Calvert-Lewin’s run of games in the team after returning from long-term injury spells. Doucoure’s physicality will be pivotal here considering Forest’s struggles this season to defend against such physical presences which could open up many attacking opportunities for him and his teammates.

Another option for bet builders for this game would be through Calvert-Lewin who has shown some promise since returning from injury. After going through a purple patch early on in the season, scoring three games in a row, he’s now goalless since October and the Everton striker will be desperate to end that.

Calvert-Lewin boasts an impressive record of 2.74 shots per 90 with 1.10 hitting the target. His aerial threat remains a key part of his game and with Everton’s love for corners this year, especially away from home, this could provide another angle for him to get involved.

Predictions:

🎯 Anthony Elanga to have 1+ shot on target @ 1.91

🚀 Anthony Elanga to have 2+ shots @ 1.44

🎯 Abdoulaye Doucoure to have 1+ shot on target @ 2.10

🚀 Abdoulaye Doucoure to have 2+ shots @ 1.73

🎯 Dominic Calvert-Lewin to have 1+ shot on target @ 1.40

Everton games are showing a real love for corners this season with the Merseyside boys seeing 9.69 corners per game which increases only slightly up to 10.33 in their away games.

These corners have been fairly evenly split between corners taken and conceded for the Toffees, but up against a Forest side that concedes an average of 6.92 corners per game, there is certainly some room for value in the corner markets.

70% of Everton’s games have seen over 8 corners this season which drops slightly down to 62% for over 9 corners, averages that are blown out of the water by their hosts who average 85% and 77% in those respective categories, unsurprisingly seeing Forest on the receiving ends of the set pieces.

Forest are only taking an average of 3.69 corners per game in the league this season and this could indicate real value to an Everton corner match bet. Sean Dyche’s side have won five corner match bets thus far, including beating out Man Utd last weekend with six corners, who have also shown great love for corners.

With both sides generating an average of over 10 corners per game this year, we could be in for another treat with both sides likely hunting down three points as the relegation battle starts to get heated in this very stacked run of fixtures over the Christmas season.

Predictions:

🚩 Over 8.5 total corners @ 1.45

🚩 Over 9.5 total corners @ 1.80

🚩 Over 4.5 Everton corners @ 1.85

🚩 Everton corner match bet @ 2.20

Everton are averaging 12.00 fouls committed per 90 minutes, one of the highest averages in the league. Fortunately for Dyche’s boys, these persistent fouls are only seeing 2.15 cards per 90 leaving them with a fairly respectable disciplinary record so far this year.

Everton racked up 10 fouls against Man Utd last week, a slightly passive performance compared to their previous games which saw them commit 16,15,11,14 fouls – a free-for-all it seems. All of these came in tight cagey affairs that could easily be replicated against Forest. With typical foulers like Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye and Jarrad Branthwaite averaging 1.84, 1.53 and 1.45 fouls per 90 respectively, there’s definitely room for some mistimed challenges in that midfield tussle-up.

Forest have been slightly better on the fouling front, committing 11.00 fouls per 90, but it seems they are not subtle foulers. Steve Cooper’s side boast the sixth-worst disciplinary record in the league with 36 yellow cards spread across a whooping 19 offenders. This is eight more cards than their visitors with an average of 2.77 yellow cards per 90. Forest fixtures are seeing over 5 cards per game, and Everton’s seeing 4.

Key offenders for Forest is Orel Mangala, who’s averaging 1.35 fouls per 90. The Belgium midfielder will also face up against fellow Belgium teammate Amadou Onana who’s drawing in an impressive 2.25 fouls per 90 for Everton. Mangala is putting in 1.62 interceptions per game and it seems that he is the man for Forest’s dirty work, as shown by his accumulation of four bookings this season. One more booking and he will be serving his customary one-match ban so perhaps he could be cautious on Saturday with his number of fouls.

Predictions:

🛑 Everton to commit 11+ fouls @ 1.36

🛑 Everton to commit 12+ fouls @ 1.62

🟨 Over 2.5 Nottingham Forest cards @ 1.83

🟨 Over 4.5 total cards @ 1.44

🛑 Orel Mangala to commit 1+ fouls @ 1.22