Nottingham Forest are set to take on Brighton in the English Premier League as they look to bounce back from their shocking 5-0 defeat against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Despite that loss, the Reds remain well-placed in the league table, sitting third with 44 points from 23 games.
A major boost for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side is that they will be playing in front of their home crowd at the City Ground. Forest have been impressive at home this season, remaining unbeaten in their last six matches (five wins, one draw). Their victories include wins over Tottenham and Aston Villa, while the draw came against league leaders Liverpool. In their most recent home game, they secured a thrilling 3-2 win against Southampton.
Speaking ahead of the Brighton clash, Nuno emphasised the need for a strong reaction following the heavy defeat to Bournemouth. "We have to react, it's obvious after a bad performance. There is no other way. We have to react, perform better, and be a better team. It's just back to the basics, back to the things we do well, recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, and trying to perform better because it was a bad performance," he said in his pre-match press conference.
"We have to perform much better; we have to be solid; we have to play better football. We were not accurate; we missed a lot of passes. So many things to improve. Big challenge ahead of us," he added.
Brighton's away form and key threats
On the other hand, Brighton head into this game after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Everton. They are currently in the ninth spot at the league table with 34 points in 23 games. However, their recent away form has been impressive, with three wins and three draws in their last six away games across competitions. Two of those draws came against Aston Villa and West Ham, while one of their three victories was a memorable 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Forest fans might be concerned about their recent record against Brighton, as they have failed to win in their last three Premier League meetings (two defeats, one draw). Last season, Brighton completed a league double over them, while this season’s reverse fixture ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. The last time Forest defeated Brighton at the City Ground was in the 2022/23 season. Meanwhile, Nuno’s last managerial victory against Brighton came in the 2020/21 season when his Wolves side won 2-1.
Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler acknowledged Forest’s quality ahead of the clash. "There is always one team that surprises everyone – this season, it is Nottingham Forest. You see their individual quality, they have a lot, players who have played a long time in the Premier League. For some experts, it's not surprising, but they're getting the results and are always finding a way to win games," he said.
Team news and injury updates
On the injury front, Nuno confirmed that Callum Hudson-Odoi, who was forced off against Southampton with a groin issue, will miss the Brighton game. "We are still assessing, it is something that we hope to improve soon, but he is not going to be available for this game," he said. However, there is good news for Forest fans as Nuno confirmed that Ibrahim Sangaré and Danilo are "ready" and have "joined the squad."
Brighton, meanwhile, are dealing with several injury concerns, including a lingering ankle problem for star striker Evan Ferguson. Speaking about his availability, Hürzeler said, "He trained for the first time yesterday" and is "an option to play."
"I want to keep working with him, but it's important to discuss what's best for his development. We want to improve the players and help him. We need an exchange – we need to see what makes sense for the player and the next six months for the club – we'll make a decision together. His profile is really rare, a clear number nine. Players have to show their potential. We talk about how good he was – we know he has the potential, and he has to prove it and show it every day," he concluded.
The men who could decide it
Chris Wood’s goalscoring form will be crucial for Forest, while Brighton will rely on Joao Pedro, who has five goals and five assists in 17 games this season.Predicted XIs
Nottingham Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Silva, Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood
Brighton: Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Lamptey; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
