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Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham and Sean Dyche's Forest face each other tonight Getty Images Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham United face his former team, Nottingham Forest, at the London Stadium tonight with both clubs looking for a precious three points in their bid to avoid the drop from the Premier League. Sean Dyche is in the dugout for the visiting side, having replaced Ange Postecoglou, who lasted just 39 days at Forest as Nuno’s replacement earlier this season. Advertisement After starting positively under Dyche, Forest have lost their past four games, leaving them four points above West Ham in 17th. Here, our West Ham writer Roshane Thomas and his Forest counterpart Paul Taylor discuss the talking points. Roshane: The only positive thing will be May 24, when the season ends. The porous defence remains a huge concern with central defenders Maximilian Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos lacking consistency, Igor Julio has hardly featured since joining on a season-long from Brighton & Hove Albion in August, while Jean-Clair Todibo has been a solid performer since Nuno’s appointment in late September. But regardless of the system the head coach plays, West Ham are incapable of keeping a clean sheet.   The last time they achieved this was against Forest, when Nuno was their manager, in August. West Ham have conceded 41 goals in the Premier League this season, their most after 20 games in a top-flight campaign since 1965-66 (44). Aside from the defensive woes, this team lacks leadership with Jarrod Bowen underperforming in his role. The home form is also an issue, with just two wins in 10 games played at the London Stadium this season.   Paul: All seemed stable in the early season before Nuno dropped his verbal hand grenades in two different press conferences and was replaced by Ange Postecoglou. But going from the chaos of Postecoglou, who did not appear to understand the club nor its fans, to a man with fond links with Forest, having come through the academy ranks, restored a mood of relative calm. There were impressive performances against Porto, Leeds, Liverpool and Tottenham. But more recently, the standards have dropped again. While they were unlucky not to take a point against Manchester City, they were flat and uninspired in defeats by Everton (twice) and Aston Villa. In their most recent run of four defeats, mistakes have started to cost them. Advertisement Roshane: Following the 3-0 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers, club sources told The Athletic there were no immediate plans to sack Nuno. But since succeeding Graham Potter, the 51-year-old has only sealed two wins (against Newcastle United and Burnley) in 15 Premier League games. Nuno was appointed ahead of former manager Slaven Bilic, but there has not been the desired new-manager bounce. Paul: It initially felt as though Dyche was a good fit, with his tactical style not a world away from that of Nuno, who guided a core of players who are still at the club to a seventh-place finish. The biggest pressure on Dyche is to find some answers to the questions that have been asked of him and his side more recently. How does he get the best out of the 13 new signings, many of whom have struggled to adapt to life under Dyche? Forest often look in need of a plan B — most notably against Everton, when they kept delivering crosses into the box against a powerful, imposing defence. Then there are the individual mistakes that have begun to cost Forest — most recently highlighted by goalkeeper John Victor going walkabout at Villa Park and handing their hosts a goal. Roshane: Of the eight managers hired since the current ownership group bought the club in January 2010, Avram Grant, Bilic, Manuel Pellegrini, Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter were sacked midway through their contracts. David Moyes, who led the club to UEFA Conference League victory in 2023, left when his contract expired in his two spells in 2018 and 2024. Sam Allardyce, who was manager from 2011-15, also left when his deal expired. Moyes’ successor Lopetegui was sacked after 22 games, while Potter lasted eight months. The board intended to give Lopetegui and Potter time but their patience wore thin when West Ham’s Premier League status was under threat. The clock is ticking on Nuno.   Advertisement Paul: Evangelos Marinakis has not always lived up to the reputation that many have labelled him with. He will act decisively if he feels change is required. But of the nine permanent managers since he took over the club in 2017, only Martin O’Neill can even remotely really claim that he was not given the time to show what he can do — and even he was not harshly treated. Sabri Lamouchi was treated with patience, Steve Cooper was given more time than many expected and Nuno effectively talked himself out of the City Ground exit following his fallout with the hierarchy — and his public comments about his relationship with Marinakis. Roshane: More defeats, fan protests and eventual relegation. Even with the additions of Pedro Felipe, Taty Castellanos and potentially more, I struggle to see how West Ham end their barren run of form. The club have not won a league game since November and with upcoming matches against Forest (h), Tottenham Hotspur (a), Sunderland (h) and Chelsea (a), their winless streak could continue. Morale in the squad is low and that has been reflected in the number of their below-par performances. These are bleak times.   Paul: The main issue here is that it is impossible to predict which Forest is going to turn up for any given game. Will it be the side that impressed against Liverpool, Tottenham and even Manchester City? Or will it be the one that turned out uninspiring performances against Everton and Villa? Forest have the quality, the ability and the experience to keep themselves clear of trouble. This is by far the best squad of players they have had since returning to the top flight. The key will be their ability — and that of their manager — to deliver some consistency, in a positive sense. It is far too dangerous to say that Forest are too good to go down — but it is time for them to prove that they are. Advertisement Roshane:  A 2-1 defeat after Kilman scores an own goal in injury time. Paul: Can the real Forest please stand up? Can key figures like Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic get back to their best? If they can, they should have too much about them for a West Ham side that seems entirely lacking in confidence — and who will be under huge pressure. If they can do that — and stifle Bowen — Forest will win 2-0.