Southampton and Nottingham Forest will aim to record their first win of the 2024/25 Premier League season when they meet at St. Mary’s on Saturday.
Gameweek 2 of the 2024/25 Premier League season begins on Saturday with the game between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United at the Amex Stadium. The action then continues with five simultaneous fixtures, including Southampton vs Nottingham Forest at St. Mary’s.
Southampton returned to the Premier League after winning the EFL Championship promotion playoffs, beating Leeds United in the final. The Saints were impressive in their pre-season campaign, losing only one game. However, they began their 2024/25 Premier League season with a 1-0 defeat to ten-man Newcastle United despite dominating the proceedings and taking considerably more shots.
As for Nottingham Forest, they showed some promising signs in their season-opening Premier League fixture. The Tricky Trees might have felt they deserved to beat Bournemouth instead of playing a 1-1 draw. However, Nuno Espirito Santo should be happy with his team’s performance, which has promised a mid-table finish this term.
Nottingham Forest eked out a narrow 1-0 win over Southampton the last time these teams clashed at St. Mary’s in the Premier League, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring the only goal. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Southampton
Russell Martin does not have many pressing injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the Southampton manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players.
Martin has been sweating over the fitness of Adam Lallana, Ross Stewart, and Kamaldeen Sulemana, but the trio should be available this weekend. However, Gavin Bazunu remains on the sidelines due to his achilles injury, with Juan Larios at least one more week away from returning to action.
Alex McCarthy should take his spot between the sticks, with Southampton lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him against Nottingham Forest. The central defensive unit should feature Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jan Bednarek, and Jack Stephens. Samuel Edozie and Kyle Walker-Peters will likely start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will look to contribute on both ends of the pitch while flanking the three midfielders, Will Smallbone, Joe Aribo and Flynn Downes. Finally, Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton Diaz should be the two central attackers for the home side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Edozie, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Diaz
Nottingham Forest
Unlike his counterpart in the Southampton dugout, Nuno Espirito Santo has a new issue to deal with ahead of the trip to St. Mary’s. The Nottingham Forest manager will be without one first-team player on Saturday.
Danilo is the latest absentee after picking up an excruciating ankle injury that will require surgery. The Brazilian midfielder will be unavailable for several months. However, Danilo is the only absentee, with Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga fit and available.
Matz Sels should take his spot between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Southampton on Saturday. The backline should feature Neco Williams, Willy Boly, Murillo, and Ola Aina.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Ryan Yates and Ibrahim Sangare, with the former replacing Danilo in the double pivot. Morgan Gibbs-White will reprise the no. 10 role, with Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi being the two wide attackers. Finally, Chris Wood should spearhead the Nottingham Forest attack on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Sangare; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Key Stats
- Southampton are yet to record a home win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League (D2 L4). That is the most Premier League away games the Tricky Trees have played against one team without ever losing.
- Southampton are winless in 14 Premier League matches (D4 L10), their worst run in the top flight since 1989. In addition, the Saints have won just two of their last 21 Premier League home games (D5, L14), keeping one clean sheet.
- Nottingham Forest can clinch a third consecutive away win in the Premier League a Saturday to set their best run since 1995.
- Southampton have won their opening home fixture in only one of their 24 previous Premier League campaigns, a 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers in 2004/05.
- Ben Brereton Diaz is yet to end on the winning side in a Premier League match in 15 attempts (D4 L11).
Player to Watch
Chris Wood
Chris Wood has to be the most hard-working player in the Premier League. Very few have given him the chance to be the first-choice striker for a Premier League club at his age. However, he is proving his naysayers wrong with aplomb and made his mark by finding the back of the net against Bournemouth last weekend.
On Saturday, Wood can become the fourth player to score a Premier League goal at St. Mary’s for three different clubs, having previously netted there for both Burnley and Newcastle United. Considering his momentum, the veteran striker should find the back of the net this weekend.
Prediction
Southampton 1-1 Nottingham Forest
The Saints were unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of the result in their season-opening fixture against Newcastle United. However, Southampton showed some positive signs and should take the game to Nottingham Forest, exploiting the away side’s defensive shortcomings.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest were unbeaten in all six Premier League games against promoted clubs last season (W3 D3). That record should kick-start in the 2024/25 campaign, although Southampton will hold the Tricky Trees to a 1-1 draw at St. Mary’s on Saturday.