Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Preview, Prediction, Lineups and Team News | Premier League

Preview

• Date – Saturday, August 24, 2024
• Kick-off Time – 03:00 pm GMT
• Venue – St. Mary’s Stadium

Premier League action returns to St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Southampton host Nottingham Forest in the second round of the 2024-25 season.

Southampton led by Russell Martin will be keen to bounce back after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United in their season opener. Despite having an extra man for much of the match due to Fabian Schar’s red card, the Saints were unable to capitalize, with Joelinton scoring the only goal following an error from goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

Southampton’s loss extended their winless streak in the Premier League to 14 games, although their most recent top-flight victory came at home against Leicester City in March 2023. On a positive note, Southampton demonstrated strong attacking form during pre-season, drawing friendly matches against Getafe and Lazio, and were prolific in front of goal last season, scoring 57 home goals in the Championship.

On the other hand, Nottingham Forest started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth. The match was overshadowed by a severe leg injury to Danilo early on, but Forest managed to hold their own, with Chris Wood giving them the lead before Antoine Semenyo equalized for Bournemouth late in the game. Despite the disappointing draw, Forest’s away form was impressive towards the end of last season, winning their final two away matches.

Historically, Forest have a strong record at St Mary’s, having never lost to Southampton on their ground, with four wins and two draws in their previous encounters. This impressive away record could give Forest an edge as they look to continue their unbeaten run at St Mary’s.

Team News

Southampton team news

Southampton have no new injury concerns following their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle. Key players Kamaldeen Sulemana (ankle), Ross Stewart, and Adam Lallana are still in contention for the match against Nottingham Forest.

But the Saints will be without goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who is out for the rest of the year due to an Achilles injury. Alex McCarthy is expected to continue in goal despite his costly mistake in the previous game. If Chilean forward Ben Brereton Diaz features, he faces the prospect of extending his winless streak to 16 Premier League games, which would be the second-longest such streak in history.

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Nottingham Forest team news

Nottingham Forest will be without Danilo, who sustained a serious ankle injury in their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth. The injury, which was confirmed as a fracture, will keep him sidelined for several months.

In Danilo’s absence, Ryan Yates is likely to start, with Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson also in contention for a place in the midfield. New signing Nikola Milenkovic could make his Premier League debut after serving a ban from last season.

While the potential signing of Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah remains uncertain before the match, Chris Wood is expected to start, aiming to score in the first two league games of a season for the first time.

Predicted Lineups

Southampton Predicted Lineup:

McCarthy (GK); Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Edozie, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Diaz.

Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup:

Sels (GK); Williams, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Sangare; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.

Head-to-Head

Nottingham Forest boasts a strong historical record against Southampton with 52 victories out of the 118 matches played between the two clubs compared to Southampton’s 39 wins.

The Tricky Trees have been particularly dominant in recent years, remaining unbeaten in their last six Premier League visits to St Mary’s. In this period, Southampton have failed to secure a win at home against Forest, with both of their victories coming on the road.

Nottingham Forest’s unbeaten run at Southampton is their longest away streak against any single opponent in the Premier League. Southampton, on the other hand, have struggled at home, winning just two of their last 21 Premier League matches at St Mary’s and managing only one clean sheet during this span.

Last five results:

Here is the table for the last five fixtures between Southampton and Nottingham Forest:

Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

Southampton showed glimpses of promise against Newcastle but lacked the finishing touch to secure a result.

Their struggles in front of goal might persist, and given their poor home record against Forest, it’s unlikely they’ll find an easy win.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, known for their strong performances against newly promoted sides, will be tough to break down. A low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome in this tightly contested match.

Predicted Score: Southampton 1-1 Nottingham Forest.

Betting tips and Odds (subject to change)

• Southampton win – 2.55
• Nottingham Forest win – 2.80
• Draw – 3.40
• Odds source – Unibet

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Where to Watch Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Live?

Q. Where to watch Southampton vs Nottingham Forest live in India?

The Southampton vs Nottingham Forest game will be televised on Star Sports/Disney+ Hotstar.

Q. Where to watch Southampton vs Nottingham Forest live game in UK?

The game between Southampton vs Nottingham Forest will be live on Sky Sports in UK.

Q. Where to watch Southampton vs Nottingham Forest in USA?

The match between Southampton vs Nottingham Forest will be live across NBC platforms.

Q. Where to watch Southampton vs Nottingham Forest game in Portugal?

The Southampton vs Nottingham Forest game will be live on DAZN Eleven 4 Portugal for Portugal fans.