Nottingham Forest will host Brighton & Hove Albion in a crucial Premier League clash on Saturday, February 1. Both teams are coming off disappointing defeats and will be eager to return to winning ways.
Forest were humbled in a 5-0 loss to Bournemouth last weekend, while Brighton’s seven-game unbeaten run was halted by a 1-0 defeat against Everton. With Champions League aspirations on the line for Forest and Brighton aiming to remain competitive in the top half of the table, this encounter promises to be a compelling battle.
Match Details
- đź“Ť Location: The City Ground, Nottingham
- 📆 Date: Saturday, 1 February 2025
- ⏰ Kick-off Time: 12:30 GMT / 07:30 ET / 04:30 PT
- 🛑 Referee: Simon Hooper
- đź“ş VAR: Paul Tierney
Head-to-Head Record (Last 5 Games)
| Fixture | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton vs Nottingham Forest | 2-2 | Premier League (Sep 2024) |
| Nottingham Forest vs Brighton | 3-1 | Premier League (Apr 2023) |
| Brighton vs Nottingham Forest | 0-0 | Premier League (Oct 2022) |
| Nottingham Forest vs Brighton | 0-3 | Championship (Feb 2017) |
| Brighton vs Nottingham Forest | 3-0 | Championship (Aug 2016) |
- Forest Wins: 🟢 1
- Brighton Wins: 🔵 2
- Draws: ⚪ 2
Recent Form (All Competitions)
Nottingham Forest
| Date | Fixture | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 2025 | Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest | ❌ 5-0 |
| 19 Jan 2025 | Nottingham Forest vs Southampton | âś… 3-2 |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool | 🤝 1-1 |
| 11 Jan 2025 | Nottingham Forest vs Luton | âś… 2-0 |
| 6 Jan 2025 | Wolves vs Nottingham Forest | âś… 0-3 |
Key Stat: Forest have won three of their last five home matches, including impressive results against Southampton and Liverpool.
Brighton
| Date | Fixture | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 2025 | Brighton vs Everton | ❌ 0-1 |
| 19 Jan 2025 | Man Utd vs Brighton | âś… 1-3 |
| 16 Jan 2025 | Ipswich vs Brighton | âś… 0-2 |
| 11 Jan 2025 | Norwich vs Brighton | âś… 0-4 |
| 4 Jan 2025 | Brighton vs Arsenal | 🤝 1-1 |
Key Stat: Brighton have kept three clean sheets in their last five matches but have struggled for consistency in big games.
Nottingham Forest Team News
đź”´ Injury Concerns:
- Callum Hudson-Odoi (groin injury) could return.
- Ibrahim Sangaré remains the only confirmed absentee.
🟢 Key Players to Watch:
- Chris Wood (14 goals) – Scored in the reverse fixture.
- Morgan Gibbs-White – Seeking redemption after receiving a red card last time against Brighton.
Predicted Nottingham Forest Lineup (4-2-3-1)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | Sels |
| RB | Aina |
| CB | Milenkovic |
| CB | Murillo |
| LB | Williams |
| CDM | Yates |
| CDM | Anderson |
| RW | Elanga |
| CAM | Gibbs-White |
| LW | Hudson-Odoi |
| ST | Wood |
Brighton Team News
🔵 Injury Concerns:
- Mats Wieffer & James Milner (midfield) ruled out.
- Jason Steele, Igor, Ferdi Kadioglu (defense) unavailable.
- Evan Ferguson (transfer speculation + injury) will miss the game.
- Pervis Estupiñán & Solly March (doubtful).
🟢 Key Players to Watch:
- João Pedro (Brighton’s top scorer this season).
- Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton’s most dangerous wide player).
Predicted Brighton Lineup (4-2-3-1)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | Verbruggen |
| RB | Veltman |
| CB | Van Hecke |
| CB | Dunk |
| LB | Lamptey |
| CDM | Baleba |
| CDM | Ayari |
| RW | Minteh |
| CAM | Pedro |
| LW | Mitoma |
| ST | Welbeck |
Match Prediction
Forest’s 5-0 defeat at Bournemouth will have served as a major wake-up call for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men. Expect them to put in a much more structured and disciplined defensive display at the City Ground.
Brighton’s pace in transition and technical midfield will always pose problems, but Roberto De Zerbi’s side might struggle to break down a low defensive block.
âś… Final Score Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Brighton
🔑 Goal Scorers:
- Forest: Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White
- Brighton: JoĂŁo Pedro
Key Match Stats
đź“Ś Forest at home this season: 7 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses
đź“Ś Brighton away from home this season: 4 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses
đź“Ś Last 5 meetings between these teams: Brighton 2 wins, Forest 1 win, 2 draws
Final Thoughts
With both teams aiming to bounce back, this fixture could be one of the most intriguing matchups of the weekend. Nottingham Forest will look to re-establish their defensive solidity, while Brighton must overcome injury issues to remain in the race for European spots.
Who will come out on top? Stay tuned for this exciting Premier League clash!
