Nottingham Forest vs. Wolves: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Stretching back into last season, Forest are in good form having lost just one of their last five games in the league, winning three of those.

Wolves, by contrast, have now lost their last five league games in a row, while also winning just one of their last 12, conceding a whopping 18 goals in their last five outings.

Forest haven't been particularly spectacular so far this season, but in comparison to a Wolves side that looks extremely unstable, Nuno's men look like a very solid and reliable unit.

Wolves just don't look remotely capable of keeping a clean sheet and with Forest boasting potent attackers in the form of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White, we think they'll take a big three points from this one. Nottingham Forest 2-1 Wolves.

This Saturday's Premier League encounter between Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers offers up a clash between two sides who have experienced contrasting starts to the season.

• Date: 31/08/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: City Ground, Nottingham

Nottingham Forest have enjoyed a decent start to their Premier League campaign, a welcome change from their previous two seasons, where they were deeply embroiled in the relegation battle. This time around, the mood at the City Ground seems different. Forest appear more settled and better prepared for the rigours of the season ahead. A key factor in this improved sense of stability has been a more measured approach in the transfer market. Unlike in previous seasons, where the club made an excessive number of signings, this summer has seen Forest take a more considered approach, bringing in a much more reasonable number of additions.

One player who has certainly caught the eye in the early stages of the season is winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. After showing displaying his immense potential in the second half of last season, Hudson-Odoi has hit the ground running this term, providing a crucial creative outlet on the left wing. His ability to beat defenders and deliver quality crosses into the box has been a significant asset for Forest, and he will undoubtedly be a key player to watch in this upcoming fixture.

In addition to Hudson-Odoi’s fine form, Forest’s fans have reasons to be excited about potential new arrivals. The club is reportedly close to securing a deal for Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez. While the deal hasn't been finalised, the addition of the Mexican striker would represent a significant boost to Forest’s attacking options, providing further evidence of the club's ambition to establish themselves as a solid Premier League outfit.

Manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who returns to the club he previously managed from 2017 to 2021, has clearly made an impact at Forest. Known for his organisational skills and ability to build resilient teams, Nuno has instilled a sense of discipline in Forest, which was sometimes lacking in previous campaigns. His experience and tactical acumen will be crucial as the season progresses, especially in matches like this one, where Forest will be expected to pick up points against struggling opposition.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, on the other hand, have had a challenging start to their season. After two tough fixtures, Wolves find themselves languishing near the bottom of the table, with no points to their name. While the fixture list has not been kind to them, it is fair to say that Wolves have not helped themselves either. Their attacking play has shown promise, but defensively, they have been far from convincing, particularly in their recent defeat to Chelsea, where they looked extremely frail at the back.

One of the major issues for Wolves has been their instability in key areas. The loss of star attacker Pedro Neto and captain Max Kilman, who was also a key defensive stalwart, has significantly weakened the team. Manager Gary O'Neil has had to contend with these losses, and it is evident that the squad is still adjusting to these setbacks. Moreover, the form of goalkeeper José Sá has been a cause for concern. The Portuguese shot-stopper has had a rocky start to the campaign, and with reports suggesting that Wolves are exploring the possibility of signing a new goalkeeper, it is clear that Sá's position may be under threat.

Despite these difficulties, it’s still early in the season, and Wolves have time to turn things around. However, they will be acutely aware that a positive result is needed sooner rather than later to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. The pressure will be on O'Neil to find the right balance in his team, particularly in defence, where they have looked most vulnerable.

This game won't be televised live to UK Audiences, but partial radio coverage will be provided by BBC Radio Nottingham.

Nottingham Forest Team News:

The hosts will once again be without midfielder Danilo, who continues his recovery from a broken ankle.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner was absent from Forest's game at Southampton at the weekend amidst rumours he's set to leave the club, so his inclusion feels unlikely here too.

Predicted lineup: Sels; Williams, Milenković, Murillo, Aina; Sangaré, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.

Wolves Team News:

The visitors will be without forwards Enso González and Saša Kalajdžić, with the two still working their way back from injury.

Wolves could return to a back three here in search of some defensive stability, with Craig Dawson potentially replacing Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

Predicted lineup: Sá; Mosquera, Dawson, Gomes; Doherty, Gomes, Lemina, Aït-Nouri; Hwang, Strand Larsen, Cunha.

Forest opened their account with a 1-1 draw at home to Brentford. Forest took the lead through Chris Wood in a first half that was completely overshadowed by a nasty ankle break suffered by Forest midfielder Danilo.

On balance Forest were probably the better side in the first half, but after the break Bournemouth rallied and largely saw the better of the play, eventually equalising with just four minutes remaining after Harry Toffolo’s poor attempted clearance deflected into the path of Antoine Semenyo who cooly slotted home.

Saturday afternoon saw Forest travel to newly promoted Southampton in a game they would have felt a lot of pressure to win, and despite the slender scoreline they produced a fairly dominant victory.

Southampton enjoyed plenty of possession and recorded nearly 300 more passes than the Reds, but Forest were much more effective on the ball and caused far more problems for the Saints’ defence than vice versa, but poor finishing ultimately meant Forest had to settle for a 1-0 win, with Morgan Gibbs-White converting a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross at the second time of asking to score the winner in the second half.

Wolves’ first game of the season came at the Emirates against Arsenal. In what was an unsurprising game and an unsurprising scoreline, Arsenal comfortably won 2-0 to secure a deserved result.

Wolves then prepared for the visit of Chelsea to Molineux, a fixture that had brought a lot of recent success to the Midlands club. However, this encounter was anything but successful as the Blues ran out 6-2 winners.

The scoreline was 2-2 at the end of a thrilling first half that saw goals from Matheus Cunha and Jørgen Strand Larsen twice pull Wolves back level after Chelsea had taken the lead, but second half clinics from Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke blew Wolves away, helped by some poor defending from the home side.

• Latest match predictions
• Football tips
• Football accumulator tips
• Football bet of the day