Frank Christian
This Monday, October 21, the Premier League will see Nottingham Forest play against Crystal Palace at the City Ground, bringing the latest matchday to a close.
The subsequent matchday will kick off with Nottingham Forest battling local rivals Leicester City in an East Midlands derby at the King Power Stadium on Friday, October 25.
Feeling bewildered? You’re not alone.
It is uncommon for Premier League teams to have two matches within just five days, and even more unusual to have them scheduled within the same week. It becomes even stranger when these matches fall between two different weekends.
Nevertheless, this is the situation for Forest, who will face two quick matches without their manager present. The Sporting News clarifies the situation.
Why is Nottingham Forest scheduled to play on Monday and Friday this week?
Nottingham Forest is set to compete against Crystal Palace on October 21 and Leicester City on October 25, a change initiated by the television broadcast schedule.
Originally planned for 3 p.m. BST on a Saturday, both games were rescheduled to be featured on live television in the UK and globally.
The match against Palace was initially on Saturday, October 19, but got shifted to Monday when select fixtures were chosen for broadcasting. Likewise, the match against Leicester, which was supposed to occur on Saturday, October 26, was moved to a Friday night for TV coverage.
While this represents a positive opportunity for Forest in terms of media visibility, it raises concerns about player fatigue due to the quick succession of games. Additionally, their manager will not be present for either match.
What happened to Nuno Espirito Santo? Absence from the touchline against Crystal Palace explained
Nottingham Forest’s manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, has been given a two-game ban from the touchline and fined £55,000 ($71,000) following his reaction to the officials after Morgan Gibbs-White received a red card during the 2-2 match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
This recent penalty activated a previously suspended one-game ban, compelling him to remain in the stands for three upcoming league matches against Crystal Palace, Leicester, and West Ham.
