Nottingham Forest will soon welcome Igor Jesus to the Premier League, with the striker set to join after the Club World Cup concludes. The 24 year old has already caught the attention of Forest fans, having scored against PSG and Seattle Sounders in the tournament. With four shots on target in three appearances (1.35 per 90), Jesus has shown he can be a threat, and his sharpness in front of goal could trouble Palmeiras in this match.

Jesus has been consistently dangerous this season, averaging 1.44 shots on target per 90 across his 10 appearances in the Brazilian Serie A. His ability to find space and test goalkeepers suggests he could adapt well to the demands of English football. Forest will hope his clinical edge translates to the Premier League, where his movement and finishing could prove valuable in their fight to stay competitive after a positive season. 

The Brazilian striker’s performances in the Club World Cup have only heightened expectations ahead of his move to the City Ground. If he can maintain his current form, Jesus could quickly become a key player for Nottingham Forest. His knack for being in the right place at the right time makes him a player to watch in the coming months.

Estevao has had seven shots across his three appearances at the Club World Cup so far (2.73 per 90) but has only managed to find the target once so far from these attempts. Estevao should have really got himself on the scoresheet with the chances that have fallen his way, as his xG of 1.18 at the Club World Cup so far would suggest. 

Estevao had 38 shots on target across his 31 appearances for Palmeiras during the 2024 Brazilian Serie A season (1.62 per 90). Seeing as Estevao is facing up against another Brazilian side here, we can expect him to match these numbers from his breakthrough campaign last season which led to Chelsea signing the 18 year old.

Estevao managed these 38 shots on target from 85 attempts overall (3.62 per 90). His shot volume alone should give this selection a decent chance of going close, especially when considering how effective Estevao was against Brazilian sides last season.

Weverton is Palmeiras’ number one keeper and he has been forced into making six saves across his three appearances in the competition (2.00 per 90), keeping two clean sheets in the process. Palmeiras appear to rely on their defensive security to get them through games, Estevao is their main outlet but they can struggle to offer a consistent threat in the final third if the 18 year old isn’t at his best. 

This leads to Palmeiras inviting pressure which explains why Weverton has been called into action six times already this tournament and has kept two clean sheets. Weverton has been forced into making 25 saves across his 11 matches in the Brazilian Serie A this season (2.27 per 90) which further strengthens the case for him to be called into action at least twice here.

Estevao is yet to make a goal contribution at the Club World Cup but looks ready to change that in the first knockout round against familiar opposition. With seven shots and five chances created in his three tournament appearances so far, the statistics suggest his first decisive moment is just around the corner. His underlying numbers reinforce this belief, having recorded an xG of 1.18 across 231 minutes of action.

The upcoming clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo adds an extra layer of intrigue, with the two sides having met four times already in 2024. One of their most recent encounters came in the Copa Libertadores knockout stages, where Botafogo edged a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory. Estevao will be eager to make his mark in this high-stakes derby, especially given his impressive domestic form.

During the 2024 Serie A campaign, Estevao contributed 22 goals and assists in just 26 starts for Palmeiras, showcasing his consistent threat in the final third. Averaging 3.62 shots and 2.09 chances created per 90 minutes, his numbers suggest he could be the difference maker in this all Brazilian tie. If he maintains his usual output, a goal or assist feels inevitable.

Allan faces a tough battle as Botafogo's defensive anchor in this heated Brazilian derby. With these sides having clashed four times last year – including a Copa Libertadores knockout tie – the match is likely to be fiercely contested. Botafogo's aggressive approach has seen them average 14.7 fouls per 90 in Serie A this season, a trend that has carried over to their Club World Cup campaign.

The midfielder has already been shown one yellow card in his five Brazilian league appearances this term, averaging 2.81 fouls per 90. His physical style has been evident in America too, committing three fouls across two Club World Cup matches. Given the high stakes and tempers likely to flare in this familiar rivalry, Allan's disciplinary record suggests he's at real risk of another booking here.

With the referee certain to be kept busy, Allan will need to tread carefully. Another mistimed challenge could easily see him cautioned, especially in a match where Botafogo's tactical fouls may be deployed to disrupt Palmeiras' rhythm. His combative approach could prove costly if he fails to temper his aggression.

Remarkably, Botafogo are unbeaten across their last five meetings with Palmeiras. The most recent encounter between the sides ended in a 0-0 draw but Botafogo managed to win three of the four meetings between the sides last year, including battling through a two legged tie in the knockout stages of the Copa Libratadores so Botafogo have recent success in getting the better of Palmeiras in this format. 

Botafogo will have gained real confidence that they can have a deep run in this tournament through their performances against Atletico Madrid and PSG which showed that they can go toe to toe with Europe’s elite. Both of these sides can be quite stubborn as the two clean sheets Palmeiras have kept so far in the competition would suggest, so don’t be surprised if we see quite a low scoring and lengthy encounter between two sides that know each other very well.