Preview: Brentford vs Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking a first-ever Premier League double over their hosts, Nottingham Forest visit Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium for Sunday's top-flight battle.

Both sides have mistakes to rectify this weekend, as the Bees were slain 2-0 by West London rivals Chelsea last time out, while the Tricky Trees suffered an agonising Europa League loss to Braga.

Match preview

A fabulous festive and New Year period for Brentford brought five wins and a draw from six games between December 20 and January 10, but a trip to the Club World Cup champions proved a step too far for the capital outfit.

In Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game as Chelsea head coach, the ex-Strasbourg manager oversaw a two-goal success thanks to Joao Pedro's opener and Cole Palmer's penalty, condemning Brentford to their first defeat of 2026.

The Blues' success coupled with Manchester United's derby win over Manchester City demoted Keith Andrews's men to seventh in the Premier League table, and such is the tight nature of the standings that they are just three points better off than 12th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion at the time of writing.

However, few would have backed the Bees to be challenging for the continental places after their summer upheaval, and a stellar set of home results has been critical to the hosts' European charge.

Indeed, only Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa have collected more than Brentford's 24 points on their own turf this season, and Andrews's side have gone unbeaten in their last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium since Manchester City's 1-0 win in October - their sole home loss in 2025-26.

Speaking of 1-0 defeats, Sean Dyche's Nottingham Forest experienced the worst singular minute of their season on Thursday night, when their hopes of qualifying automatically for the Europa League's last 16 suffered a potentially fatal setback.

Just 54 seconds after Morgan Gibbs-White had a penalty saved against Braga, the Portuguese hosts charged up the other end of the field and forced a catalogue of mistakes from the Garibaldi, culminating in a comical Ryan Yates own goal.

Few Forest fans could argue that defeat was undeserved after a pitiful performance from Dyche's side, who only five days prior had held leaders Arsenal to a creditable goalless draw in the Premier League, but the air of pessimism has swiftly returned.

The 17th-placed visitors are at least safe for the time being - 18th-placed West Ham United start the weekend five points behind - but they have now suffered defeat in six of their last eight matches in all competitions after losing just three of their first 12 under Dyche.

It is not all doom and gloom for the Tricky Trees, though; their last top-flight away game ended in a 2-1 success at West Ham United, they triumphed 2-0 in this exact fixture last season, and they took down Brentford 3-1 at home on the opening weekend of the current campaign.

Brentford Premier League form:

Brentford form (all competitions):

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

Team News

Brentford boss Andrews could be blessed with a double midfield boost this weekend, as Frank Onyeka is firstly back from the Africa Cup of Nations after helping Nigeria reach the semi-finals of the competition.

The hosting manager is also hopeful that Jordan Henderson will return from the ankle injury that kept him out of the Chelsea defeat, but Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo and Josh Dasilva remain sidelined with their long-term knee issues.

Despite drawing a blank at Stamford Bridge, 16-goal Igor Thiago has already scored more than any other Brazilian in a single Premier League season and now has a Man City legend in his sights; the last South American to score more in one English top-flight season was Sergio Aguero with 21 in 2018-19.

On Forest's end, Elliot Anderson's straight red card at the end of the Braga defeat means nothing for the Premier League, and Dyche will also welcome Omari Hutchinson and Taiwo Awoniyi back to action on Sunday; the duo are ineligible for European matches.

However, Chris Wood and John Victor will be out for another few weeks with their knee injuries, while Igor Jesus and Murillo are also doubts after missing the midweek defeat with knocks.

Should Jesus remain on the sidelines, Awoniyi is the obvious candidate to start up front in what should be one of several changes from the visitors after Thursday's horror show.

Brentford possible starting lineup:

Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Ajer, Henry; Janelt, Yarmoliuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Awoniyi

We say: Brentford 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Forest have already failed to score in 11 Premier League games this season, and do not be surprised to see that become 12 on Sunday, as a result of their continental fatigue and fitness problems up front.

Dyche will bring plenty of the big-hitters back into his starting XI, but a well-rested Brentford side who usually excel at home should get back on track here.

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