Nottingham Forest will be looking to continue their exceptional form on Sunday afternoon when they host Premier League bottom side Southampton.
The Midlands side have been the surprise success story of the current season, finishing in the top four halfway through the season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flyers, unbeaten since defeat to Manchester City in early December, secured another impressive result midweek, picking up a point when league leaders Liverpool visit the City Ground.
Southampton have been just as bad as Forest this season and are currently sitting at the bottom of the table. After 17 defeats in 21 games, the teams are ten points behind and the division’s worst scorers appear to be facing relegation as new coach Ivan Juric has been unable to turn the tide.
Here is 90 minutes Forest vs Southampton preview.
Head-to-head record between Nottingham Forest and Southampton (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
|---|---|
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool – 14/01/25 | Man Utd 3-1 Southampton – 16/01/25 |
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Luton – 11/01/25 | Southampton 3-0 Swansea – 12/01/25 |
Wolves 0-3 Nottingham Forest – 06/01/25 | Southampton 0-5 Brentford – 01/04/25 |
Everton 0-2 Nottingham Forest – 29/12/24 | Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton – 12/29/24 |
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham – 12/26/24 | Southampton 0-1 West Ham – 12/26/24 |
country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Not televised – Live radio commentary on BBC Radio Nottingham and BBC Radio Solent |
United States | peacock |
Canada | fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 3 Canada |
The key to Forest’s success this season has been their ability to keep their senior players fit and firing, with Ibrahim Sangare the only absentee ahead of the weekend. The defensive midfielder had been joined by Danilo in the treatment room, but the Brazilian was returning from a broken ankle sustained in last weekend’s FA Cup win over Luton Town.
Coach Nuno Espirito Santo is unlikely to make many changes from the midweek draw with Liverpool as his side have five days to recover. Chris Wood is on the scoresheet again as he scores his 13th Premier League goal of the season.
Predicted line-up for Nottingham Forest against Southampton (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Southampton will be sweating on the fitness of young decision-maker Tyler Dibling, who left just after the hour against Manchester United in midweek with an ankle injury. He will be assessed before kick-off.
Gavin Bazunu is close to a return to the first team after being out injured since April but is unlikely to displace Aaron Ramsdale any time soon. Juan Larios and Ross Stewart are missing from the Saints on a long-term basis, while defender Jack Stephens is missing from training due to an injury.
Predicted line-up for Southampton against Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Ramsdale; Wood, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis; Sugawara, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Fernandes, Sulemana; Armstrong.
There are unlikely to be any surprises at the City Ground on Sunday with Forest prepared to dispatch Southampton with relative ease. The Tricky Trees have been defensively resolute and disciplined at the other end of the pitch this season, making a win against the Saints seem inevitable.
Southampton have scored just 13 goals in the Premier League this season and could be without the talented Dibling as they head north. Juric has struggled to make drastic improvements in a squad that lacks quality and they are unlikely to change their fortunes on Sunday.