The final home league game of the season see’s Plymouth Argyle arrive at the City Ground after being relegated after their defeat to Newcastle on Monday evening, they now sit 6 points behind Palace in 21st place but with Palace facing Sheffield Wednesday on the last day of the season, can’t make up the points to survive but this could see them arrive having cast off the shackles of desperation & in a mood to entertain.
Vital Quotes:
Click here to join in the debate on the game
Click here to give your match prediction in kippers prediction league
Nottingham Forest Team News:
Talk of an early return for Paul McKenna are rife but if we’re going to see him again this season, it’s highly doubtful it will be before the play off games kick off while it’s all quiet on the Julian Bennett front, friendly games have been organised & played for him but little else has been heard. With the home form being so good Billy may well send out a very strong team in this fixture to maintain that home form for the play offs, but some members of the squad will most likely still be rested.
Player to watch: Dexter Blackstock
It’s now been over a month since Dexter got his name on the score sheet & and that consolation goal against Barnsley was his only goal in open play for over two months. He needs to start scoring again soon with Forest heading into their most important game of the last decade.
Plymouth Argyle Team News:
Former Forest loan midfielder Carl Fletcher made his comeback from injury in the Newcastle defeat after missing 5 games with a gash to his knee & Kari Arnason was named on the bench for that game after a hip injury had originally ruled him out for the season.
Player to watch: Jamie Mackie
Plymouth’s top scorer has 9 goals & 2 assists to his name this season from 42 starts and will be the main threat from Argyle.
Match Facts & Stats
There have been 43 previous league meetings between these two teams with Forest taking 19 wins, Plymouth 16 and a further 8 drawn games. It’s very close on the goals front with Plymouth scoring 62 goals & Forest 64 including Chris Gunters only professional goal in the 0 – 1 win at Home Park earlier this season.
Ref Watch:
Neil Swarbrick of Lancashire will be the man in black for this game, he last took charge of a Forest game in that awful defeat to Derby back in January.
He will be assisted by Paul Davison of Cleveland & Richard Wigglesworth of South Yorkshire
4th official for the day will be Alan Parker of Derbyshire
Match Prediction:
You often see teams play their best football after relegation is confirmed when the pressure is off & Plymouth have played well at time this season. I can only see a Forest win here though with maybe Argyle ending the run of home clean sheets for Forest, Reds 3 – 1 Greens
Next Fixtures:
Sunday, 2 May 13:00
The Football League Championship
Scunthorpe v Nottm Forest
