Nottingham Forest – Brentford in a Thursday Evening Premier League Meeting

Nottingham Forest’s Recent Trends and Outlook:

The Notts return to Premier League action after a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. Though they fell 2-0, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side showed enough fight—hitting the woodwork three times—to underline their attacking intent.

They now shift full focus to the league, where Champions League qualification is a realistic goal. A gritty 2-1 win away at Tottenham in their last league outing was emblematic of Forest under Nuno: limited possession (30%) and few chances created (just 4 shots), but clinical in front of goal.

At home, however, Forest’s form has been more inconsistent, losing two of their last three at the City Ground, including a shock 1-0 loss to Everton. They’ve kept just one clean sheet in their last six across all competitions, which raises concerns about their defensive reliability—especially against in-form opponents like Brentford. Still, their attack has looked lively with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood stepping up, while Anthony Elanga is set to return to the XI, bringing pace and directness.

Brentford’s Recent Trends and Outlook:

Brentford have re-emerged as a competitive force after a poor mid-season run, going unbeaten in three (W1, D2) and recording a thrilling 4-2 home win over Brighton in their last outing.

Most impressively, they have won five of their last seven away games in the Premier League—a significant turnaround after failing to win any of their first nine on the road this season. During that stretch, they’ve found the net regularly, scoring in six of their last seven away fixtures.

Despite their away form, Brentford have rarely kept clean sheets on the road, conceding in seven of their last eight. The Bees have struggled historically at the City Ground too, with just one win in their last five visits. But with Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Mikkel Damsgaard forming an increasingly effective front three, Brentford carry real offensive threat. 

Team News Impact:

Forest will be boosted by the return of Neco Williams and Ryan Yates from suspension, while Anthony Elanga is also expected to start. Jota Silva remains an option off the bench. Forest are nearly at full strength, though defensive vulnerabilities persist, particularly in transition.

For Brentford, Rico Henry returned recently, but Keane Lewis-Potter should retain his place at left-back. Despite key absentees like Fabio Carvalho and Josh Dasilva, Thomas Frank’s side still boast the firepower to test any defense.

Nottingham Forest – Brentford : Head-to-Head and Statistical Insight:

• Forest won the reverse fixture 2-0, their first top-flight win over Brentford.
• Forest have conceded in four of their last five matches across all competitions.
• Brentford have scored in six of their last seven away games.
• Forest have kept only one clean sheet in their last six.
• Both teams have scored in 4 of Forest’s last 6 and 3 of Brentford’s last 5 league matches.

Players to Watch:

• Chris Wood (Forest) – Chasing a historic 20-goal league season, Wood remains Forest’s most reliable goal threat.
• Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) – The midfielder has never lost when scoring this season (W5, D1), and could influence both ends of the pitch.

Nottingham Forest – Brentford match Preview Final Verdict:

Forest are strong at home but prone to lapses at the back, especially under pressure from mobile, counter-attacking sides like Brentford. The Bees, meanwhile, have found form away from home and consistently scored, even against higher-ranked opposition. With both sides pushing for European qualification and fielding near full-strength attacks, the conditions are ripe for goals on both sides. Prediction: Both Teams to Score