Brentford vs Nottingham Forest predictions: Expect Forest to go on front foot

Ian Wilkerson
Spotlight
Nuno Espirito Santo's Nottingham Forest have beaten Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa this season
Nuno Espirito Santo's Nottingham Forest have beaten Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa this season

- Brentford have yet to be beaten at the Gtech Community Stadium this term
- Forest are dreaming of European football next season and head into their trip to west London in fourth spot
- Recommended bet:
Over 1.5 Nottingham Forest goals

Brentford suffered their eighth away defeat of the season in the EFL Cup at Newcastle on Wednesday, and they will be glad to get back to west London to take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

However, the Tricky Trees have been the Premier League’s surprise package this season and should still be buzzing after recent wins over Manchester United and Aston Villa.

Team news

Igor Thiago could come into the Brentford squad and hopes are high that Paris Maghoma will recover from a knock. Gustavo Nunes, Ethan Pinnock, Rico Henry, Aaron HIckey, Mathias Jensen and Josh Dasilva all miss out.

Forest will wait for late tests on Ryan Yates and Murillo before announcing their team but Alex Moreno, Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare are all set to sit out.

The stats

Brentford have yet to keep a clean sheet at home this season.

Six of Forest’s eight league victories this term have been by a single goal.

Brentford to win and both teams to score has been a winning bet in seven of their eight league home games this season.

The Bees have conceded 11 goals in their last five home league matches.

Forest’s only away league losses this season have come at Manchester City and Arsenal.

Thomas Frank's Brentford have won nine of their 10 competitive home matches this season, drawing the other
Thomas Frank's Brentford have won nine of their 10 competitive home matches this season, drawing the other

Prediction

Even an average record on their travels would put Brentford right up alongside Nottingham Forest in the top four of the Premier League but while the Bees cannot get their act together on the road, they have been hugely impressive at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Thomas Frank’s side have dropped just two points on their own patch this term and their matches have been full of goals, but while leaders Liverpool and Tottenham have been the only teams to have scored a great number of times, there is a frailty in defence that Forest are capable of exploiting on Saturday.

Nuno’s Tricky Trees have built on an excellent start to put themselves fourth in the table. They are the only team to have beaten Liverpool and recent victories over Manchester United and Aston Villa have shown they are a real force to be reckoned with.

New Zealand striker Chris Wood has the physical presence to trouble any defence and while the Bees’ home record is strong, they have yet to keep a clean sheet on their own patch.

Forest scored three times in winning at Old Trafford and with Frank’s side shipping an average of more than two goals in their last five home league games, it is worth chancing that the visitors can find the net more than once on Saturday.

Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!

Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!

Tags

Nottingham ForestBrentfordPremier League