Despite ‘no belief,’ Alan Shearer makes his pick for crucial six-pointer between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest

Tottenham Hotspur will step into their own stadium on Sunday for what interim manager Igor Tudor has labelled a “relegation six-pointer” against Nottingham Forest, and even the Premier League’s record goal-scorer admits the fixture is almost impossible to call.

Spurs halted a sequence of four successive disappointing results by grinding out a 1-1 draw at Liverpool and then overturning Atlético Madrid 3-2 in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, though that victory was not enough to prevent elimination on aggregate. The back-to-back positive displays have restored a measure of belief inside the camp, yet the north Londoners remain without a league victory since December 28, when a solitary goal sank Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

That barren domestic run leaves Tudor’s side hovering just one point and one place above Forest, who arrive in the capital buoyed by a Europa League progression secured with a mid-week defeat of Danish outfit FC Midtjylland. With both clubs desperate to distance themselves from the drop zone, the meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has assumed season-defining proportions.

Writing in his weekly predictions column for The Metro, former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer underlined the stakes: “It’s a huge game for all sorts of reasons; this is a gigantic game for both teams. You can imagine the reaction if Tottenham were to be beaten at home by Nottingham Forest. I guess whoever takes the three points should be more than confident they would have enough to stay up. On the other hand, whoever is beaten, then there’s a real live chance that that team will be relegated. That’s how big this game is this weekend.”

Despite conceding he has “no belief” in the forecast, Shearer ultimately tipped the hosts to prevail, backing Tottenham to edge a contest that could decide their top-flight fate.

Tudor, still chasing his first Premier League win since taking the reins, has seen encouraging signs in attack and midfield cohesion, but a porous back line that has failed to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive matches remains a glaring concern. Forest, fresh from draws against Manchester City and Fulham, possess the attacking tools to exploit those defensive frailties, setting the stage for a nerve-shredding 90 minutes in N17.

Kick-off on Sunday will signal more than three points; it could shape the relegation picture and either ignite Tottenham’s survival push or drag them deeper into jeopardy.