West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest prediction 06.01.2026 | Premier League

Last season felt like a warning that never quite landed. West Ham’s long run of two top half Premier League finishes ended with a 14th-place result, only four spots above the drop.

That slide has continued. Eighteen games into this campaign, the Hammers sit in the relegation zone with just 14 points, and the mood around the London Stadium reflects it.

Nuno Espírito Santo briefly steadied things with a 2-2 draw against Brighton, snapping a three-match losing run. There was hope, maybe misplaced, that it could be a turning point. Instead, a trip to Wolves reopened old wounds.

A 3-0 defeat, no clean sheet again, and defensive errors back under the microscope. Seventeen games without shutting anyone out tells its own story.

West Ham are now winless in nine matches, which is grim reading. However, context matters. Their last two league wins both came at home, and that familiarity might count for something here. Going forward, Jarrod Bowen remains the standout option.

Six goals so far underline his importance, and he should start alongside Wilson and Summerville as West Ham search for spark rather than structure.

Forest’s recent history makes this season harder to understand. Since coming up via the playoffs in 2022, the Tricky Trees have usually found a way to survive, even pushing into European qualification last year. This time, almost everything has gone the other way.

The decision to part ways with Nuno Espírito Santo and bring in Sean Dyche has not had the immediate impact some hoped for. Forest arrive in London on a run of four straight defeats and have failed to score in two of those games.

Away form is another concern, with three consecutive Premier League losses on the road adding extra tension to this trip. There are problems off the pitch too, at least in terms of availability. John Victor left the field in tears against Aston Villa with an injury and is expected to miss out.

That hands Matz Sels another start, his 17th league appearance of the season. Elsewhere, Forest are also sweating on the fitness of Ryan Yates, Dan Ndoye, and Chris Wood, which limits Dyche’s options at both ends of the pitch.