Two high-flying clubs will aim to continue their unbeaten runs when Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest face off at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes this week with Gameweek 23. Saturday will feature six matches, with the action on the day starting with five simultaneous games, including Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest at the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are the two most impressive teams in the Premier League this season. Both teams have shown incredible progress under their managers, and no one could have foreseen them challenging for European qualification in the 2024/25 campaign.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges, in particular, have been exceptional, rising to third in the Premier League standings, with only Arsenal and Liverpool losing fewer games. The table-topping Reds are six points ahead of Nottingham Forest, with the Tricky Trees level on points with Arsenal. The visitors are on a nine-game unbeaten run, with their most recent defeat coming in early December.
As for Bournemouth, the hosts are on an 11-game unbeaten run, with their most recent defeat coming in November. The Cherries’ latest scalp was a shock 4-1 win over Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, with the result taking them to within three points of the top-four spots.
The reverse fixture saw Bournemouth come from a goal down to hold Nottingham Forest to a 1-1 draw, with Antoine Semenyo scoring a late equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Bournemouth manager will be bereft of the services of as many as ten first-team players vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Evanilson is the most notable absentee, with the Brazilian striker recovering from a foot fracture. The summer arrival accompanies James Hill (hamstring), Marcos Senesi (thigh), Adam Smith (muscle), Julian Araujo (thigh), Alex Scott (knee), Marcus Tavernier (thigh), Luis Sinisterra (thigh), and Enes Unal (knee) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Julio Soler is with Argentina at the South American Under-20 Championship.
Kepa Arrizabalaga will take his spot between the sticks, with Bournemouth lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The backline should feature Lewis Cook, Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez.
As for the midfield unit, Tyler Adams should accompany Ryan Christie in the double pivot, with Justin Kluivert reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Dango Ouattara should lead the line for Bournemouth against Nottingham Forest, with Antoine Semenyo and David Brooks being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Ouattara
Nottingham Forest
Unlike his counterpart in the Bournemouth dugout, Nuno Espirito Santo has a new issue to worry about ahead of the trip to the Vitality Stadium. The Nottingham Forest manager might be without as many two first-team players on Saturday.
The Portuguese tactician has been sweating over Callum Hudson-Odoi’s fitness, with the former Chelsea attacker recovering from a minor groin issue. The Englishman faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. However, Ibrahim Sangare remains on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.
Matz Sels is the automatic pick between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Bournemouth on Saturday. The backline should feature Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, and Neco Williams.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Ryan Yates and Elliot Anderson 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; Jota Silva will start if Hudson-Odoi is not available. Finally, Chris Wood will spearhead the Nottingham Forest attack against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Key Stats
- Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last nine league games vs Nottingham Forest (W5 D4) since a 2-1 away loss in the EFL Championship in February 2015. In addition, the Tricky Trees have won only of their ten most recent away league games against Bournemouth (D3 L6), beating them 2-1 in the Championship in August 2014.
- Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last ten Premier League games (W6 D4), with only Liverpool (17) and Arsenal (12) enjoying longer runs.
- Nottingham Forest have won more points over the ten most recent Premier League games than any other side (25 – W8 D1 L1), with no team conceding fewer goals across this run than the Tricky Trees (9).
- Bournemouth have produced more shots from “high turnovers” than any other side in the Premier League this season (45). In addition, they are one of two teams yet to concede a goal from a turnover (along with Arsenal).
- With his hat-trick against Newcastle United last weekend, Justin Kluivert became only the fourth Bournemouth player to score 10+ goals in a Premier League campaign after Joshua King (twice), Callum Wilson, and Dominic Solanke. However, just one of his ten strikes this term has come at home.
Player to Watch
Chris Wood
Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, and Anthony Elanga were viable candidates for this section, but we have picked Chris Wood as our Player to Watch for Saturday’s match. The veteran striker has enjoyed an exceptional 2024/25 campaign thus far, producing performances beyond belief.
Wood has scored 14 Premier League goals this season, his joint-best return in a single campaign (also 2023/24 and 2019/20). The only Antipodean player to score more in a season is Australian Mark Viduka (17 in 2000/01, 20 in 2002/03). The 33-year-old will fancy his chances of breaking Viduka’s record if he continues his excellent run in the coming weeks.
Prediction
Bournemouth 2-2 Nottingham Forest
The injury crisis has not done anything to dampen the spirits, and Andoni Iraola continues to produce magic with his Bournemouth squad. On the other hand, Nuno Espirito Santo has forged a formidable group at Nottingham Forest, and his charges never throw in the towel.
Considering the grit and determination both teams have shown, a captivating end-to-end affair is on the cards. Ultimately, there might not be much to separate the two sides, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw between Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, with Chris Wood and Antoine Semenyo delivering the goods.
