Sporting Gestures, Last-Minute Drama & Final-Day Chaos – Classic Forest Clashes
Despite losing their opening six clashes with their East Midlands neighbours, between 1901 and 1911, it is the Foxes who have the upper hand historically, winning 40 and drawing 27 of 106 previous encounters. They have also lost just one of their last eight meetings with 1978 English champions.
Ahead of the fourth-round tie in Nottingham, on Sunday 6 February, LCFC.com looks back on some of our most recent encounters with the Reds...
A first success in five years
An encouraging 1998/99 Premier League campaign got better for City in December with a 3-1 success over Nottingham Forest at Filbert Street. It didn't get off to the best of starts, though, as Marlon Harewood teed up Pierre van Hooijdonk to beat Kasey Keller after just 14 minutes.
The Foxes were back on level terms before the break when Steve Guppy's tidy cross was side-footed into the bottom corner by Emile Heskey in front of the Double Decker Stand. Matt Elliott then stepped up to convert from 12 yards, with a powerful spot-kick, after Andy Johnson handled in the area.
Scot Gemmill was later dismissed for the visitors, after a late challenge on Steve Walsh, before an inventive step-over and finish from Guppy made sure with 15 minutes remaining. Leicester would end the season in 10th place, their lowest top-flight finish under Martin O'Neill, while Forest ended it bottom.
Wright's big moment on Filbert Way
Leicester made it 13 games unbeaten in their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League in April 2003 as youngster Tommy Wright netted his only home goal for the Foxes in a 1-0 victory over Forest on Filbert Way.
The breakthrough arrived on 37 minutes as Alan Rogers' throw-in was half-volleyed at goal by Jordan Stewart. Although that effort was blocked by the Forest backline, it fell fortuitously for Wright in the area to poke the ball beyond Darren Ward. Two games later, City's promotion was confirmed.
Micky Adams' men would finish second, behind Portsmouth in the old First Division, while Forest were sixth, later beaten by Sheffield United in the play-offs.
Late drama at the City Ground
Leicester City delivered a sporting gesture which would make headlines in September 2007 when Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith was allowed to walk the ball into the net inside 60 seconds. It came after an earlier League Cup fixture had been postponed due to a medical emergency with Forest leading 1-0.
The Foxes were back on level terms on the half-hour mark, though, when Alan Sheehan whipped a perfect free-kick into the bottom corner. Despite being a division below, in the third tier, Forest regained their advantage in the second period through Nathan Tyson, but City would hit back again.
With just two minutes of added time remaining, Patrick Kisnorbo's long ball was sent onto James Chambers by Matty Fryatt, who got the ball back and slid in Richard Stearman to convert from close range. It got even better, however, when Mark De Vries set up Stephen Clemence to win it from range.
Hitting three past Forest
Leicester found the net inside 14 second-half minutes to propel them further into Championship play-off contention and knock Forest out of the top two in February 2010. Despite only being promoted a season earlier, Nigel Pearson's Foxes were genuine promotion candidates that season.
Hurt by a heavy defeat at the City Ground earlier in the season, City were intent on making amends in front of a capacity crowd on Filbert Way. A tense first half, though, had nerves jangling, but Leicester would emerge victorious in some style on a fondly-remembered afternoon.
Bruno Berner hit Richie Wellens' back-heel into the roof of the net to get the scoring started, before a trademark free-kick from Paul Gallagher and Andy King's close-range flick sealed a 3-0 triumph. Both Leicester and Forest would later suffer play-off heartbreak, to Cardiff City and Blackpool respectively.
Final-day chaos in Nottingham
The City Ground was packed in May 2013 as both Leicester and Forest battled it out on the final day for a place in the Championship play-offs and it was the Foxes who would be celebrating at the full-time whistle after a scarcely believable end to proceedings on the banks of the Trent.
Simon Cox drilled Billy Davies' hosts in front after just three minutes, but Matty James' deflected curler got City back on level terms. A draw could have been enough for Forest to qualify for the play-offs, but Nigel Pearson's men needed a win and their chances got a boost when Andy King nodded home.
The next swing would come in the 50th minute as Elliott Ward headed in for Forest. That goal dropped Leicester down to eighth in the live standings, until Anthony Knockaert and Chris Wood played a one-two in the area, inside added time, with the former slotting into the net to spark jubilant celebrations. Although City would lose to Watford in the play-offs, it was part of the story which led to promotion and eventually winning the Premier League in 2016.