Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest prediction: Wood & Forest fired up for Devon trip

Exeter host Nottingham Forest in the final FA Cup fourth-round match, looking to complete another cup shock and reach the fifth round for just the fourth time in their history (8pm, ITV1).

The Grecians, managed by Gary Caldwell, sit 18th in the League One table and their win over Oxford United in the last round was their only victory in nine matches.

That run has seen them lose six and draw two, which leaves them just six points and three places above the relegation zone.

Tuesday’s game could be seen as a welcome distraction from that form and a springboard to move up the league if they can secure an unlikely win against the side sitting third in the Premier League table.

Forest go into the game with nine wins from their last 11 games including the 7-0 thrashing of Brighton last time out. The only points dropped since the beginning of December came in a 1-1 draw against the leaders Liverpool and a shock 5-0 defeat away at Bournemouth in their last away game.

If the version of Forest that has surprised everyone so far this season turns up then there will only be one winner at St James Park, but we have seen a few Premier League sides struggle against lower-league opposition over the weekend.

Manchester City looked decidedly average against Leyton Orient before Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench to turn the game on its head, while Liverpool were unable to overcome a 1-0 deficit at Plymouth and crashed out of the competition on Sunday.

With Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea among the teams already out of the competition it has opened up the door for someone else to get their name on the trophy and why can’t that be Forest?

Football betting sites are offering 20/1 on Nuno Espirito Santo’s side lifting the trophy for a third time, but the first since 1958/59.

Forest have scored in 10 of their last 11 games, netting 26 and conceding 11, albeit five of those came in one game against Bournemouth.

Exeter on the other hand have scored 19 in their last 11 games but conceded 26 so we can expect goals.

This will be the fifth meeting between the two sides and the first in the FA Cup. The previous four matches all came in the old Division Three (South) and Exeter are still looking for their first win after drawing two and losing two - both defeats were 5-0.

It will be their first meeting since a 5-0 home defeat in April 1951 and a lot has changed since then, not least the gulf between the two sides which is currently 59 places.

Betting sites have Forest as outright favourites at 2/7, while you can get 10/1 on an Exeter win and 11/2 on the game finishing all square after 90 minutes.

Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest prediction 1: Over 3.5 goals scored - 13/10 Unibet

Chris Wood scored a hat-trick last time out against Brighton, to take his tally for the season to 23 for club and country in 30 appearances, and his 17 league goals is his best-ever return in the top-flight.

Last season he scored just 16 goals in 39 games but this season everything seems to have clicked for the 33-year-old Kiwi international.

Betting apps are offering just 17/20 on him scoring anytime but you can get 4/1 on him scoring a header and 15/4 to score two or more.

Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest prediction 2: Chris Wood to score two or more - 15/4 Bet365

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