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Nottingham Forest batter Leicester as Johnson bags brace

andy edwards and nicholas mendola
·2 min read

Brennan Johnson scored both goals as Nottingham Forest kept back-to-back clean sheets and won back-to-back games for the first time all season, beating Leicester 2-0 at the City Ground on Saturday.

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The victory sees Forest (20 points) climb from 16th to 13th in the Premier League table, now four points clear over the relegation zone. Steve Cooper’s side has lost just two of their last nine PL fixtures (4W-3D-2L) after managing to not lose just three times in their first 10 games.

Johnson hadn’t scored a PL goal since Sept. 3 (12 appearances without scoring), but he opened the scoring on Saturday by getting to the ball first and rounding the out-rushing Danny Ward to slot the ball into an empty net and send the home fans into relieved, rapturous celebrations.

Five minutes from full-time, Morgan Gibbs-White, who played the ball in behind for the opener, once again found Johnson in acres of space, this time needing to beat one defender before placing the ball ever so perfectly inside the far post from a tight angle.

That’s four straight defeat for Leicester (17 points), who now find themselves in 14th, just two points above the relegation zone.

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How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Leicester live, stream link and start time

Kick off: 10am ET, Saturday
TV Channel/Online: Stream via Peacock Premium

Key storylines & star players

Morgan Gibbs-White continues to grow into his role with Forest, which is helpful as Jesse Lingard is among a host of players missing from the lineup. Taiwo Awoniyi could return but Willy Boly and Cheikhou Kouyate are notable absences.

Leicester’s injury problems are nearly as bad, perhaps even worse considering that James Maddison (out) and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall (questionable) have been two of their brightest performers this season. Can Patson Daka get hot or Jamie Vardy get back to finishing his chances?

Nottingham Forest team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Neco Williams (head). OUT: Willy Boly (ankle), Cheikhou Kouyate (thigh), Omar Richards (calf), Giulian Biancone (knee), Moussa Niakhate (thigh), Jesse Lingard (hamstring).

Leicester team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (buttocks), Dennis Praet (chest), Ayoze Perez (knock). OUT: James Justin (calf), Boubakary Soumare (thigh), Jonny Evans (calf), Ricardo Pereira (calf), James Maddison (knee), Ryan Bertrand (knee).

Nottingham Forest batter Leicester as Johnson bags brace originally appeared on NBCSports.com