Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City Lineups: Predicted XIs

The East Midlands Derby is rarely a quiet occasion, and Nottingham Forest play host to Leicester City on 11 May 2025, with both clubs nursing wounds from recent results that will sharpen their hunger for local bragging rights.

Match Date: 11 May 2025 ·
Competition: Premier League 2024/2025 ·
Predicted Forest Formation: 4-2-3-1 ·
Predicted Leicester Formation: 4-2-3-1 ·
Recent Forest Loss: Bournemouth 5-0

The rivalry between these two East Midlands clubs has been shaped by tight margins and shifting momentum across their 16 historical meetings.

What are the predicted lineups for Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City?

Both clubs are reportedly set to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, though these remain predictions rather than confirmed starting XIs. According to FotMob (live stats and match data platform), the predicted Forest XI reads as follows:

Nottingham Forest predicted XI

• Goalkeeper: Matz Sels
• Defenders: Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, Neco Williams
• Midfielders: Ibrahim Sangaré, Elliot Anderson
• Attackers: Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, Nicolás Dominguez
• Striker: Chris Wood

Chris Wood appears consistently across prediction sources as Forest’s leading striker option, with Morgan Gibbs-White anchoring the midfield attack. RotoWire (sports data and lineup analyst) notes that Murillo’s fitness is questionable, which could shuffle the defensive line.

Leicester City predicted XI

• Goalkeeper: Mads Hermansen (or Jakub Stolarczyk if returning)
• Defenders: James Justin, Wout Faes, Caleb Okoli, Victor Kristiansen
• Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Harry Winks
• Attackers: Abdul Fatawu, Facundo Buonanotte, Jordan Ayew
• Striker: Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy’s experience makes him the consistent striker prediction for Leicester. Racing Post (horse racing and sports betting authority) reports that goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk may return after missing five games with a groin injury, while Ben Nelson could recover from an ankle issue.

What this means: Both teams show stability in formation but carry fitness doubts that could shift their respective backlines. Forest’s attack hinges on Gibbs-White’s creativity, while Leicester will look to Vardy’s movement to stretch the hosts’ defence.

What is the score between Nottingham Forest and Leicester?

Historical data from FootyStats (football analytics platform) reveals that across 16 meetings, Forest have won 6, Leicester 5, with 5 draws. Forest have scored 27 goals to Leicester’s 26 across those fixtures.

Live score updates

The most recent head-to-head encounter reportedly ended 2-2, with the match tied 1-1 at halftime and a goal recorded in the 81st minute. Opta Analyst (Premier League data provider) gave Leicester a 34.7% win probability in the earlier matchup, with a 26.8% chance of a draw.

Recent head-to-head

The win percentages break down to Forest at 38%, Leicester at 31%, and draws at 31%. Forest are aiming for their first league double over Leicester in recent memory, according to VegasOdds (sports betting analysis).

The implication: Close margins define this rivalry. With both clubs in recent recovery mode—Forest licking wounds from a heavy loss, Leicester fighting to avoid the drop—the 11 May fixture sits on a knife’s edge.

Who is the 15 year old player in Leicester City?

Jeremy Monga made history by becoming Leicester City’s second-youngest debutant when he came on as a substitute at 15 years old, according to sources tracking Premier League youth records. This milestone placed him firmly in the spotlight as one of the club’s most talked-about teenage prospects heading into the 2024/2025 season.

Jeremy Monga debut details

Monga’s introduction into first-team football represented a rare occurrence in England’s top tier, where players of such youth are exceptionally rare. The Premier League’s official squad listings document the club’s youth movement across the season.

Whether Monga features on 11 May remains speculative, but his presence in the squad signals Leicester’s willingness to blood young talent under pressure.

Who beat Nottingham Forest 5-0?

AFC Bournemouth handed Nottingham Forest their heaviest defeat of the season in a 5-0 thrashing that sent shockwaves through the club. Dango Ouattara reportedly scored a hat-trick in that match, exposing defensive frailties that Forest have since been working to address.

Bournemouth match recap

The defeat was described by Forest manager Scott Parker as the worst in his managerial career, a stark admission that underscores how damaging the result was for squad morale. The match exposed gaps in Forest’s defensive organisation and prompted questions about tactical discipline heading into subsequent fixtures.

What are the odds of Leicester winning?

According to Opta Analyst (Premier League data provider), Leicester carried a 34.7% probability of winning the earlier fixture, with draws rated at 26.8%. 22Bet (sportsbook predictions) offers Forest as the favourite at odds of 1.34 for a win, with a predicted 2-0 Forest victory.

Betting odds overview

The betting landscape reflects Forest’s home advantage and slight edge in historical head-to-head record. VegasOdds notes that Leicester’s famous 5000-1 long-shot title run from a previous season has become a reference point for their underdog status.

The pattern: Leicester’s odds suggest they’re not expected to win, yet their underlying data (Opta’s 34.7%) indicates genuine upset potential if their key players fire.

When comparing the key metrics for this derby, Forest hold the historical edge while Leicester’s data-driven win probability offers cautious optimism.