Everton vs Nottingham Forest – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Sean Dyche and Nuno Espirito Santo aim to boost suvival hopes in the deduction derby

Jarrad Branthwaite has also just been speaking to Sky Sports about the relegation battle and support of Everton’s fans.

It’s a big boost that he is fit today after picking up a knock against Chelsea.

Here’s what he had to say:

Everyone knows we went through a tough patch, not winning many games. It’s difficult but it’s part of football and you’ve got to get on with it. But we know the quality we’ve got on the pitch and we’ve just got to go and get three points.

It’s massive having that support, the fans help us every game home and away, especially at home now towards the end of the season. They’ll push us over the line and get the outcome that we all want, which is obviously staying up and winning as many games as possible.

Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood has just been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kick off, discussing their form, today’s clash and the points deduction appeal hanging over the club.

Here’s what he had to say:

We’ve been working on improving and getting better and we need to show it consistently week after week. All these last five games are going to be huge no matter what. It’s an important one today for both clubs, but we’ve got to focus on us and how we play and then go from there.

As players, the points deductions don’t really impact us. We just focus on the pitch and the rest is down to the club.

It (the Goodison Park atmosphere) can be really good for them, but it can be really bad and they can turn on them. We need to make them do that.

There are few figures as popular at Goodison Park as Everton legend Peter Reid.

He spoke to Mail Sport’s Simon Jones this week about the season they’ve had, his Goodison Park memories and today’s huge clash.

Read the full interview below…

Chris Wood’s £15m arrival from Newcastle last January seemed to be another expensive mistake that Nottingham Forest have been all to guilty of since returning to the Premier League.

After three goals in his first 19 games, many had written the New Zealander off and felt his time at the club was over.

But since Nuno Espirito Santo arrived in December, Wood has been a man reborn and now has nine goals in his past 11 league matches to highlight his status as Forest’s unlikely hero of the season.

He blanked last time out against Wolves to end a four-match scoring streak, but his partnership with Morgan Gibbs-White continues to be Forest’s biggest threat.

The last time these two sides met was at the start of December when Everton were fresh off receiving an initial 10-point deduction – which was subsequently reduced to six on appeal.

A Dwight McNeil strike secured the victory, with the three points sparking a run of four successive wins for the Toffees.

They have actually only won once in the league since that run, which just demonstrates how tough this season has been for Sean Dyche and Co.

It was a well-deserved three points at the City Ground and you can catch up on that clash below…

Meanwhile, Nuno makes two changes from last Saturday’s feisty 2-2 draw against Wolves.

Dominguez and Niakhate replace Yates and Omobamidele, who both drop to the bench.

Reyna is rewarded with another start after his impressive display last week.

(4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Niakhate, Murillo, Aina; Dominguez, Danilo; Reyna, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

Sean Dyche makes four changes from Monday’s horror show at Chelsea with Gana, Gomes, Harrison and Calvert-Lewin replacing Coleman, Onana, Garner and Beto.

It looks like the evergreen Young will drop to right back, with Coleman not making it today after picking up a knock on Monday.

Branthwaite and Calvert-Lewin are both fit to start in a huge boost for Everton.

Here’s how I think they will be lining up:

(4-2-3-1): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gana, Gomes; Harrison, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin

Like their opponents today, Nottingham Forest have faced a points deduction this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side the subject of a four-point penalty last month for breaching FFP rules.

They’ve generally improved under the former Wolves and Tottenham boss, rarely getting heavily beaten, but Forest have won just one of their past nine games in all competitions.

Forest will stay out of the relegation zone whatever the result today, but you feel now is the time to step up and start moving away from the relegation battle.

We’ll have team news in about five minutes time!

It’s fair to say Everton didn’t enjoy the best of days last time out against Chelsea.

Sean Dyche’s side put in a dismal perfornance at Stamford Bridge as they suffered their heaviest defeat of the season.

Dyche will be hoping that was just a blip, but you can catch up with highlights from Monday’s clash below, which included a stunning four goals from Cole Palmer.

What an opportunity today is for both sides to get some breathing space away from the bottom three.

A win would be massive in the battle to avoid relegation, while a defeat would only ramp up the pressure heading into the final weeks of the season.

A gigantic afternoon is in store…

And it’s great news for the hosts that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is with the squad after he missed their 6-0 thrashing by Chelsea through injury.

The England striker has started to recapture some form in recent weeks after a barren run in front of goal.

Sean Dyche will be needing a big performance from his talisman today.

And I must say, Goodison Park is looking an absolute picture today.

It’s a brilliant old stadium and will most certainly be missed when Everton do re-locate for the start of the 2025-26 season.

And welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog for this afternoon’s crunch clash between Everton and Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park.

It’s 16th against 17th as both teams look to pick up crucial points in the battle to avoid relegation.

Stay with us for all the build-up, team news and updates from throughout the match.