Nottingham Forest take the trip down south this weekend, where they will face a Brentford side that desperately needs a win. In the reverse fixture, the tie ended 1-1, with the Bees failing to take advantage of the extra man after Forest were handed a second-half red card.
Brentford
Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the way his side has played recently, as they have lost seven of their last eight matches in the Premier League, including all of their last five. This has seen the Bees drop down to 16th, but a win this weekend will take them above Forest.
Brentford have only conceded 31 goals this season, which is a relatively solid record, but they have been uninspiring in attack, netting just 26 goals. The injury to Bryan Mbeumo hasn’t helped, but thankfully for the boss, Ivan Toney is set to return after serving his suspension.
Last time out, Brentford netted twice as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Wolves in the FA Cup replay. The tie went into extra time, which is far from ideal for the Bees, as they ultimately crashed out due to a penalty.
Nottingham Forest
Since the arrival of Nuno Espírito Santo, Forest has looked like a completely new side, full of belief and confidence all over the field. Despite this, they’re still 15th in the Premier League after 20 matches, with just five wins and a total points of 20.
They have struggled slightly at both ends of the field this season, with the injury to Taiwo Awoniyi impacting the side in attack, as the Tricky Trees have netted just 24 goals. They’ve also conceded 35, which highlights the need to tighten up at the back.
However, last time out in the Premier League, Forest defeated Man United 2-1 at home, in what was their second consecutive victory. Yet their 2-2 draw with Blackpool last weekend reminded Nuno that plenty of work still needs to be done.
Verdict?
Brentford showed signs of confidence against Wolves, but their form is too difficult to ignore. They will hope the return of Toney will revive the squad and give them a huge boost.
Forest know they can’t lose this game, and they will attempt to counter Brentford at any given opportunity.
The final prediction is Brentford 1-1 Nottingham Forest.
