League Two side Grimsby Town will look to cause an upset in the second round of the Carabao Cup when they welcome Premier League Nottingham Forest to Blundell Park on Tuesday.
The Mariners progressed in the Carabao Cup following a comfortable 4-0 victory in the first round at home to fellow League Two opposition in Crewe Alexandra.
A dominant display, with goals from Luke Waterfall, Kieran Green, Andy Smith and Stephen Wearne gave Paul Hurst's side a deserved passage into the second round.
Aside from the cup, Grimsby are currently in their first season back in League Two after only a year away playing in the National League in which they were promoted via the play-offs following relegation from the EFL in 2021, in which they finished bottom.
As for Nottingham Forest, they're currently playing their trade in the Premier League once again for the first time in 23 years following promotion via the play-offs in the Championship last season.
Steve Cooper's men have made a decent start back in the top flight, where they currently occupy four points from their opening three games.
Following a defeat to Newcastle United on the opening day, they picked up their first victory back in the big time thanks to a 1-0 win over West Ham United at the City Ground, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring the only goal of the game.
The Reds most recent result came at Goodison Park as they drew 1-1 at Everton. An 81st-minute goal for Brennan Johnson for Forest was cancelled out by Demarai Gray with two minutes to play to salvage a point for the Toffees.
On top of that, it's been a busy summer in regards to player recruitment on Trentside, with 16 new additions joining the club.
Some key players they've brought in include Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolves, along with Jesse Lingard and Dean Henderson from Manchester United, with the latter on loan until the end of the season.
The fixture will be the first time in 17 years that Grimsby will host Premier League opposition in a competitive fixture.
The last time Grimsby played Premier League opposition at home was when they welcomed Newcastle United to Blundell Park back in 2005, with Alan Shearer scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory for the Magpies.
Team news
Grimsby Town
Grimsby will check on the progress of striker Danilo Orsi, with a late call set to be made if he is to feature or not.
Orsi is ahead of schedule on his recovery from injury and has made a full return to training this week. With that, he could be very much touch-and-go for a place in the squad.
John McAtee is a long-term absentee for the Mariners after recently undergoing an operation on a shoulder injury he sustained in the defeat away to Leyton Orient on the opening day of the new League Two season.
Winger Otis Khan also remains on the sidelines for the hosts while this game is set to be too early for defender Niall Maher.
Nottingham Forest will be without French defender Moussa Niakhate for 'a few months' following a thigh injury he sustained in the 1-0 victory over West Ham.
Full-back Omar Richards remains sidelined with a fractured leg, while Jack Colback is unlikely to be risked after his recent bout of illness.
Forest head coach Steve Cooper has insisted he wants to take the game seriously but he is expected to run the changes when they head to Cleethorpes, with some of the new recruits expected to get some game time.
Likely Lineups
Grimsby Town
Crocombe, Efete, Waterfall, Smith, Holohan, Morris, Wearne, Kiernan, Pepple, Taylor
Nottingham Forest
Hennessey, Kouyate, Cook, McKenna; Biancone, Freuler, Yates, Toffolo, Gibbs-White, Dennis, Surridge
Key players
Grimsby Town - Anthony Glennon
There's been a fair few players that have impressed in recent weeks for Grimsby, but left-back Anthony Glennon is probably my pick of the bunch. As well as that, this game against Premier League opposition will certainly be a challenge for him, but a challenge I'm sure he'll relish in.
Glennon re-signed for Grimsby in the summer as a free agent after being let go by Burnley in which he briefly joined the club on loan in 2020, under the management of Ian Holloway.
Since his return to Cleethorpes, Glennon has been a staple in the Mariners squad and has made a name for himself as a bit of a set-piece specialist with his crossing ability, in which he already has a few assists under his belt this season as a result.
Nottingham Forest - Sam Surridge
In regards to picking a key player for Nottingham Forest, it's quite difficult to call as we don't really know what type of team Steve Cooper will put out for this game. One player that I'm quite confident will start however is striker Sam Surridge.
Surridge has scored seven goals for Forest since signing from Stoke City in January as his goals helped the club regain their Premier League status for the first time in 23 years.
With game time looking to be restricted this season following the signings of strikers Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis, this game could be his chance to make an impact and potentially stake a claim but above anything else, some much-needed game time.
We've met before...
This fixture will be the first time Grimsby Town and Nottingham Forest have played each other in a competitive fixture since 2003.
The last encounter between the two sides ended in a 2-2 draw at the City Ground.
Andy Reid gave Forest the lead midway through the first half but goals either side of half-time from Paul Groves and Alan Pouton gave Grimsby the advantage.
But it would be Nottingham Forest who would have the final say, as a 90th minute strike from midfielder Gareth Williams made sure the spoils were shared on Trentside.
Match details
Where is the game being played?
This fixture is being played at Blundell Park, based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire. Blundell Park has been the home of Grimsby Town since 1899.
What time is kick-off?
This fixture will get underway at 19:45 BST on Tuesday, August 23.
How can I watch the game?
The match will not be televised for supporters in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, while overseas supporters will be able to purchase an iFollow match pass from either club.
Highlights will be available to watch in the UK on ITV4 and globally on social media the following day.
