It will be a nine-game sprint to the line for Nottingham Forest as they prepare to resume their Premier League campaign.
On the back of yesterday's FA Cup action, the Reds' focus will now switch to their bid to qualify for the Champions League. They are well placed to secure European football, sitting third in the table ahead of the final weeks of the season.
Manchester United are the visitors to the City Ground on Tuesday night (8pm kick-off) as Nuno Espirito Santo's side aim to consolidate their lofty position in the standings. The target will be to make it three league wins in a row, following triumphs over Manchester City and Ipswich Town.
Forest's 4-2 win over the Tractor Boys at Portman Road prior to the two-week hiatus took them to 54 points from 29 games played. So how many more points might they need from the run-in to finish in the Champions League spots?
Normally, the top four spots guarantee passage into Europe’s elite competition. Based on points totals from the last five Premier League campaigns, 68.6 points is the average tally needed to clinch fourth. Below is a look at how many points the fourth-placed side accumulated in the last five seasons.
2023/24 - Aston Villa, 68 points
2022/23 - Newcastle United, 71 points
2021/22 - Tottenham Hotspur, 71 points
2020/21 - Chelsea, 67 points
2019/20 - Chelsea, 66 points
This term, however, the Premier League is likely to have five representatives in the Champions League. Based on the last five seasons, a total of 66 points is the average needed to finish fifth. Below is a look at how many points the fifth-placed side accumulated in the last five seasons.
2023/24 - Tottenham Hotspur, 66 points
2022/23 - Liverpool, 67 points
2021/22 - Arsenal, 69 points
2020/21 - Leicester City, 66 points
2019/20 - Chelsea, 62 points
Get your special Nottingham Forest in Europe souvenir edition
We have produced a special 48-page edition of the Nottingham Post celebrating the club’s two European Cup wins.
Nottingham Forest are flying high in the Premier League and Reds fans are dreaming of a return to European competition. It has been an outstanding campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, who are on course for a place in the Champions League next season. And Forest supporters can whet their appetite for a possible return to football’s top tier on the continent with our 48-page special edition celebrating the club’s two European Cup wins.
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Buy now and have it delivered directly to your door. Alternatively you can purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Nottinghamshire from April, 2 2025.
For online order postage and packaging applies, orders will be posted from April 2, 2025.
If 66 points is enough to finish fifth and qualify for the Champions League, Forest would need 12 points from their remaining nine games to hit that mark. Rounding the average required for fourth up to 69 points, the Reds would need a further 15 points to reach that total.
Stats experts Opta are predicting a third-placed finish for Nuno’s men, tipping them to retain their current spot. They put the Reds’ chances of Champions League qualification at 70.59 percent.
Forest’s remaining Premier League games
Manchester United (H) - Tuesday, April 1
Aston Villa (A) - Saturday, April 5
Everton (H) - Saturday, April 12
Tottenham Hotspur (A) - Monday, April 21
Brentford (H) - Saturday, April 26
Crystal Palace (A) - Monday, May 5
Leicester City (H) - Saturday, May 10
West Ham United (A) - Sunday, May 18
Chelsea (H) - Sunday, May 25
Where will Forest finish in the Premier League table? Click HERE to have your say