West Ham vs Nottingham Forest Standings: Table, H2H & Live

West Ham United and Nottingham Forest are no strangers to each other’s company near the foot of the Premier League table. As things stand in early 2026, both clubs are locked in a desperate fight to beat the drop — with the Hammers sitting 17th and Forest one spot above them. The most recent chapter of this rivalry played out on January 6, 2026, when Forest grabbed a 2-1 win at London Stadium courtesy of a late Morgan Gibbs-White penalty, swinging the head-to-head balance in the process. With 124 meetings between these sides stretching back over a century, it hardly gets tighter than this.

West Ham Position: 17th (34 matches, -16 GD) · Nottingham Forest Position: 16th (34 matches, -4 GD) · H2H Wins West Ham: 11 · H2H Wins Nottingham Forest: 7 · Recent Match Result: Nottingham Forest win (late penalty)

Both clubs hover dangerously near the relegation zone, making their head-to-head encounters particularly consequential for survival hopes.

What was the score between Nottingham Forest and West Ham last night?

Nottingham Forest beat West Ham United 2-1 at London Stadium on January 6, 2026, in a match that proved pivotal for both clubs’ survival hopes. The game was decided by a late Morgan Gibbs-White penalty in the 89th minute after Forest had fallen behind early.

Match Report Details

West Ham took the lead against the run of play in the 13th minute when Murillo bundled the ball into his own net trying to clear a dangerous cross. The hosts looked set for a crucial win before Forest mounted their comeback. Nicolas Dominguez headed the equaliser in the 55th minute, steering the ball past the West Ham keeper from close range. As the clock ticked into the final minutes, Gibbs-White stepped up to convert a penalty and spark wild celebrations among the travelling support. The match was refereed by Tony Harrington at London Stadium.

Key Moments

The 13th-minute own goal from Murillo handed West Ham a dream start, but the home side failed to build on their advantage. Forest grew into the game and dominated the second half, testing the West Ham defence with waves of attacks before Dominguez found the net. Gibbs-White’s late penalty — awarded for a tackle inside the box — capped a remarkable turnaround and handed Sean Dyche’s side three points that could prove decisive in the relegation battle.

What are West Ham vs Nottingham Forest current standings?

As of January 6, 2026, Nottingham Forest sit in 16th place in the Premier League table while West Ham United occupy 17th — the two positions directly above the relegation zone. Both clubs have played 34 matches in the 2025-26 season, and goal difference is likely to be the factor that separates them if the points remain close.

Premier League Table Positions

Forest’s goal difference stands at -4, giving them a comfortable buffer over West Ham’s -16. That 12-goal swing is no small margin when margins in the survival race tend to be razor-thin. Neither side has found consistent form — West Ham have not won any of their last five Premier League matches, while Forest’s away record of five wins from 16 games tells a similar story of unpredictability.

Goal Difference Comparison

The goal difference gap is the most telling metric separating these two clubs. Forest’s defence has leaked 43 goals away from home in the 2025-26 season, but their attack has chipped in with enough goals to keep them afloat. West Ham, by contrast, have struggled at both ends — particularly at home where they have managed just four wins from 16 matches at London Stadium.

What is the West Ham vs Nottingham Forest head to head record?

West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have met 124 times across all competitions since their first encounter in the 1911 FA Cup, with the head-to-head record dead level at 49 wins each and 26 draws. In Premier League meetings since 1995, West Ham hold the edge with 11 wins to Forest’s 7, plus 3 draws from 20 top-flight encounters.

Overall H2H Stats

The rivalry stretches back over 100 years, beginning with West Ham’s 2-1 FA Cup victory in 1911. The teams were regular opponents through the 1990s when both clubs yo-yoed between divisions. Their first Premier League meeting came on December 31, 1994, with West Ham winning 3-2. The ledger has seesawed back and forth ever since.

Recent Encounters

Nottingham Forest have owned this fixture in recent seasons, winning all four Premier League meetings during the 2024-25 campaign. Forest claimed a 3-0 victory at London Stadium in November 2024 and followed that with a 2-0 win at the City Ground in February 2024. However, West Ham struck back in gameweek 3 of the 2025-26 season with a win that gave them their 49th H2H victory — only for Forest to level the scores with their January 6, 2026 triumph. The head-to-head now reads 49-49.

The implication: perfectly balanced records mean every remaining fixture between these clubs carries psychological weight as well as survival stakes.

What are West Ham vs Nottingham Forest last 5 games?

West Ham’s last five Premier League matches include a 4-0 hammering of Wolves and a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Forest’s recent run features a 1-0 victory over Wolves and a 2-2 draw with Brentford. Neither side arrives at this encounter in sparkling form.

Form Guide

Forest have won none of their last five Premier League matches against West Ham, managing three draws and two losses. Their recent form has been described as inconsistent, with five wins from 16 away matches in the 2025-26 season. West Ham have been similarly barren on the road, managing just four wins from 16 away games.

Results Breakdown

Looking at the broader 2025-26 season, both clubs show remarkably similar records. West Ham have managed eight wins, eight draws, and 16 losses from 32 matches. Forest have posted nine wins, nine draws, and 15 losses from 33 matches — a marginal advantage that could prove crucial by May. The most recent H2H shows Forest scoring 23 goals across 14 Premier League meetings against West Ham while conceding 27.

What is the West Ham vs Nottingham Forest prediction?

Both West Ham and Nottingham Forest head into their remaining fixtures knowing that a sustained run of results is non-negotiable if they want to stay up. With Forest holding a four-point buffer in the table and a vastly superior goal difference, the pressure sits more heavily on West Ham to deliver.

Upcoming Match Outlook

Forest’s away record of five wins, three draws, and eight losses suggests they are capable of picking up points on the road, though their overall form has been patchy. West Ham’s home record of four wins, four draws, and eight losses tells a similar story — London Stadium has been far from a fortress this season. The January 6 result showed Forest can win ugly when needed, grinding out a result against a West Ham side who had the lead for most of the match.

Factors Influencing

The goal difference gap of 12 goals in Forest’s favour means West Ham cannot afford to simply match Forest’s results — they must actively outperform them. Every missed chance, every soft concession, every dropped point widens the margin for error. Forest, meanwhile, can play with slightly more freedom, knowing that a single point gap provides some insulation. The head-to-head record being perfectly level at 49-49 adds an extra psychological edge to every meeting.

What this means: West Ham need results, not draws — matching Forest point-for-point leaves them exposed by goal difference.

West Ham vs Nottingham Forest Head-to-Head: Recent Form Analysis

The Premier League head-to-head record between these two clubs spans 20 matches since 1995, with West Ham winning 11, Forest winning 7, and 3 draws. In recent seasons, Forest have dominated, winning all four 2024-25 Premier League meetings against West Ham.

This table breaks down the H2H record across different competition periods, revealing how the balance has shifted over time.

Sofascore match report

“Morgan Gibbs-White was the hero once again for Nottingham Forest as they came from behind to beat West Ham 2-1 in a tense relegation battle.”

Sports Mole match analysis

“The Hammers initially took the lead thanks to a Murillo own goal, but a Nicolas Dominguez header and late Morgan Gibbs-White penalty handed Sean Dyche’s side a potentially crucial three points.”

West Ham United find themselves in 17th place in the Premier League table — one spot and a handful of points above the relegation zone with four matches to play. Nottingham Forest sit in 16th, just one place but a world away in terms of security. The gap between the clubs amounts to 12 goals in Forest’s favour on goal difference, and that margin has become the story of the season for both sets of supporters. With the head-to-head record dead level at 49 wins each after 124 meetings across more than a century, these two clubs are perfectly matched — but only one can survive.

For West Ham, the verdict is blunt: they need to start winning games, and fast. For Forest, the task is simpler — keep the points ticking over and do not let the gap close. As things stand, that four-point buffer and superior goal difference mean Forest hold all the cards.

Related reading: Wolves vs Nottm Forest 0-0 result

Their current tight standings echo the balanced rivalry detailed in the head-to-head timeline, spanning 124 matches across English football competitions.