Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth predictions: Nothing Tricky about the Cherries for Nuno's troops
- Forest have strengthened in defence with the signing of Nikola Milenkovic
- Bournemouth had the fifth-worst defensive record away from home in the league last season
- Recommended bet: Nottingham Forest to win
Nottingham Forest begin their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with a clash against Bournemouth at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Having avoided relegation last season, the Tricky Trees will be eager to start this term off on a positive note and they will be hoping to do this at the expense of the Cherries.
Team news
Forest have a clean bill of health for this game and they could hand a first start to centre-back Nikola Milenkovic, who joined from Fiorentina in the summer, while fellow new arrival Elliot Anderson is pushing for a debut in midfield.
Jota Silva and Marko Stamenic were also added to the squad in the current transfer window and they will be hoping to play some part in the fixture.
Bournemouth forward Enes Unal is ruled out through injury, leaving Bournemouth with a lack of options up front following the departure of Dominic Solanke to Tottenham.
Striker Daniel Jebbison could be handed his debut, along with the defensive duo of Julian Araujo and Dean Huijsen, but Tyler Adams and David Brooks are both unavailable.
Goalkeeper Neto is doubtful because of a back problem, with Mark Travers ready to replace him, while Marcos Senesi is also questionable due to a head issue.
The stats
It has been another busy transfer window for Forest, who have signed six new players to date and seen 19 players exit the City Ground.
The Tricky Trees were unbeaten at home in pre-season, with draws against Sunderland and Villarreal coming either side of a 2-1 victory over Millwall.
Bournemouth picked up just six away victories in the league last season and they conceded 39 goals on their travels, the fifth-worst defensive in the division.
The Cherries top-scorer from the 2023-24 campaign, Solanke, has left for Tottenham this summer. His 19 goals accounted for over a third of the team's overall tally.
Prediction
There is no denying the great job Andoni Iraola did at Bournemouth last season, guiding the club to a 12th-place finish, but he is yet to replace star striker Solanke and it is hard to know where consistent goals will come from.
Away form was also an issue for the Cherries last term, winning just six times on the road and they may struggle to get the better of what should be a more resolute Forest side.
The addition of Milenkovic in defence could turn out to be a great buy and his quality should help keep the goals out, while Anderson's energy in the midfield will help to raise the tempo.
While Forest have been busy in the transfer window, it is nowhere close to the kind of squad overhauls seen over the last couple of years and there is a more settled feel within the team.
This looks like a great opportunity for Forest to claim all three points on home soil.
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