Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion will be eager to return to winning ways when they face off at the City Ground on Saturday.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes this weekend with Gameweek 24. The latest round of fixtures starts with Nottingham Forest vs Brighton & Hove Albion at City Ground, with both teams eager to bounce back from their defeats last week.
Not even Nuno Espirito Santo could have foreseen an impressive campaign of this level when the 2024/25 season began. Such has been Nottingham Forest’s impact that even a heavy defeat to Bournemouth last weekend did not affect the club’s position in the Premier League standings, as they remain third on the table. With the fixtures turning in the coming weeks, the Tricky Trees will be eager to embark on another unbeaten run.
On the other hand, Brighton & Hove Albion have fizzled out after a bright start to life under Fabian Hurzeler. While the shock 1-0 defeat to Everton last weekend was their first in seven Premier League games, a long winning run had eluded the Seagulls throughout this campaign. So, it is no wonder that Hurzeler’s charges are ninth in the standings.
The reverse fixture saw Nottingham Forest come from a goal down to hold Brighton & Hove Albion to a 2-2 draw, with Ramon Sosa scoring the equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Nottingham Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Nottingham Forest manager will be bereft of the services of only one first-team player on Saturday.
While Ibrahim Sangare will require a late fitness test to determine his availability for Saturday’s match, his availability boosts the home side’s long-term prospects. However, Callum Hudson-Odoi remains on the sidelines due to a groin injury.
Matz Sels is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The backline should feature Ola Aina, Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, and Neco Williams.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Elliot Anderson and Nicolas Dominguez in the double pivot. Morgan Gibbs-White will reprise the no. 10 role, with Anthony Elanga and Jota Silva being the two wide attackers. Finally, Chris Wood will lead the line for Nottingham Forest against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Dominguez; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Silva; Wood
Brighton & Hove Albion
Like his counterpart in the Nottingham Forest dugout, Fabian Hurzeler has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to City Ground. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager might be without only five first-team players on Saturday.
Solomon March is fit and available, while Pervis Estupinan and Evan Ferguson might be in contention to take on Nottingham Forest. However, Jason Steele (shoulder), Ferdi Kadioglu (ankle), Igor Julio (hamstring), James Milner (thigh), and Mats Wieffer (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
Bart Verbruggen will take his spot between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The backline should feature Joel Veltman, Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Tariq Lamptey.
As for the midfield unit, Jack Hinshelwood should line up alongside Carlos Baleba in the double pivot. Joao Pedro will reprise the no. 10 role, with Yankuba Minteh and the Al-Nassr-linked Kaoru Mitoma being the two wide attackers. Finally, Danny Welbeck will spearhead the Brighton attack against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Lamptey; Baleba, Hinshelwood; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Key Stats
- Brighton & Hove Albion clinched a 3-2 win in last season’s corresponding fixture; they have never beaten Nottingham Forest in consecutive away league games.
- Nottingham Forest conceded one more goal in the 5-0 defeat by Bournemouth last week than in the previous seven Premier League matches combined. The Tricky Trees have let in three or more goals in their four most recent Premier League defeats.
- Brighton & Hove Albion lost for the first time in seven Premier League games last week, ending their longest unbeaten run in a season for three years. However, the Seagulls have gone six away matches unbeaten in all competitions, winning the three most recent outings.
- Nottingham Forest have won six of their eight most recent home league fixtures (D1 L1). Five of those victories were by a one-goal margin. Meanwhile, the Tricky Trees have opened the scoring in 18 of their 23 Premier League matches, the most in the division
- Joao Pedro has six goal involvements in his last eight Premier League away appearances, scoring twice and providing four assists.
Player to Watch
Chris Wood
While Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Chris Wood as our Player to Watch for Saturday’s game between Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion. The veteran striker has been exceptional thus far this season, and his output holds the key for the Tricky Trees.
In addition, the 33-year-old attacker has an exceptional record against Brighton & Hove Albion. Wood has scored a career-best nine league goals against the Seagulls, and he will aim to bolster that tally this weekend. Expect another game-changing performance by the New Zealander striker.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion’s listless performances last weekend would have been an eye-opener for the two teams. However, the Seagulls, in particular, seem to lack the cutting edge in the final third, with Joao Pedro blowing hot and cold in the last few weeks.
However, Brighton & Hove Albion have an exceptional scoring record in away games, finding the back of the net in all 12 of top-flight fixtures on the road in 2024/25, opening the scoring in a league-high ten outings. While the Seagulls are also on an unbeaten run in these matches, that streak will likely end this weekend. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Nuno Espirito Santo and his charges.