Nottingham Forest and Leicester City lock horns for a spot in the FA Cup Fifth Round

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Another East Midlands derby awaits Nottingham Forest as they take on Leicester City in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

A rivalry that has not had a game since February 2014, Forest and Leicester will finally go head-to-head for a place in the next round of the world’s oldest cup competition.

The Foxes will come into the game as the fresher side having had a two-week break due to Premier League’s winter break.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been sub-par this season, however, as they sit 10th and are 12 points away from the top four.

Forest, on the other hand, have been flying ever since their appointment of Steve Cooper as the new manager has flourished since taking over from Chris Hughton.

The Reds have risen from relegation candidates to play-off contenders whilst only recording one defeat this year, in their recent Championship fixture.

Cooper’s side travelled to struggling Cardiff City in search of their fourth consecutive league victory which would have certainly propelled them into the play-off places.

However, the Bluebirds, with Norwich City loanee Jordan Hugill leading the charge, shocked the visiting Forest with a 2-1 win.

Steve Morison’s men made the perfect start as their new number nine scored on his debut. Perry Ng found the run of Hugill, who charged goalwards and slotted the ball past Brice Samba under no pressure in the sixth minute.

Five minutes after the hour-mark, Cardiff doubled their lead through youngster Isaak Davies. Joe Ralls’ fantastic curling effort cannoned off the post and back into play as the ball hit the outstretched Samba and fell to Davies for an easy tap-in.

Keinan Davis was able to net a consolation goal for Forest in added time of the second half but Cardiff put in a tremendous shift to stop the play-off chasing Reds at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Leicester drew their final game before the two-week Premier League as they drew 1-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Patson Daka put the Foxes in front early in the second half but Danny Welbeck’s equaliser in the 82nd minute saw the Seagulls take a well-earned point away from the King Power Stadium.

Nottingham Forest and Leicester City found their way through to the Fourth Round in very different circumstances as the Reds beat Arsenal 1-0 with the Foxes thumping Watford 4-1.

The two sides in question have faced each other three times in the FA Cup with both sides recording a win each and one game ending in a draw, which inevitably saw Leicester progress into the next round of the competition after a fine 4-0 win.

Forest and Leicester go head-to-head once more as the East Midlands rivals will look to battle for a place in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup and the bragging rights in an over 100-year old rivalry.

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