Preview: Birmingham City vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Searching for their first pre-season triumph at the fifth attempt, Nottingham Forest do battle with Championship returnees Birmingham City at St Andrew's on Saturday.

Nuno Espirito Santo's crop drew 0-0 with Estoril on Wednesday for their third goalless stalemate in four contests, while a juvenile Blues crop were most recently put to the sword by Northampton Town.

Match preview

From the highs of a new Morgan Gibbs-White contract and Europa League promotion to the lows of continued profligacy, to say that Nottingham Forest have endured a tumultuous pre-season both on and off the pitch would be a gross understatement.

Indeed, the Tricky Trees - who are currently awaiting the outcome of Crystal Palace's appeal over their Conference League demotion - have been nothing if not toothless so far this summer, scoring just one goal in four friendlies.

That solitary strike unsurprisingly came via Chris Wood, but the New Zealander's effort was inconsequential in a 3-1 loss to Premier League rivals Fulham, prior to which Forest played out two uninspiring 0-0 draws with Monaco and Chesterfield.

The summer stalemate specialists were at it again on Wednesday, also sharing the goalless spoils with Estoril in the Portuguese parish of Ferreiras, but home comforts may help Forest reignite their golden touch in front of goal.

Soon to return to base from their warm-weather training camp, Santo's side host Italian giants Fiorentina (August 5) and Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah (August 9) at the City Ground before Premier League proceedings begin against Brentford on August 17.

Birmingham's competitive engagements begin nine days earlier, as Chris Davies's men will be given a Championship baptism of fire by recently-relegated Ipswich Town on August 8, meaning that Saturday's showdown represents one last chance to gain some preliminary momentum.

Posting the dictionary definition of a mixed bag of results, the 2010-11 EFL Cup winners have triumphed in three and lost three of their six warm-up matches, although context must be applied to the most recent of those defeats.

Blues took on both Port Vale and Northampton Town on July 26, and while a senior squad dispatched the former 2-0 thanks to Keshi Anderson and Willum Thor Williamson's efforts, a youthful side conceded three to Northampton without reply.

However, the hosts' first team have traditionally struggled against Forest in recent times too, as the Garibaldi are unbeaten in their last four competitive meetings with Birmingham, whom they defeated 3-0 and 2-0 in the 2021-22 Championship en route to promotion.

Birmingham friendly form:

Nottingham Forest friendly form:

Team News

It is as you were on the fitness front for Nottingham Forest, who are still without midfielder Nicolas Dominguez owing to his serious knee problem, but Taiwo Awoniyi played 45 minutes against Estoril as he continues his comeback from a distressing abdominal injury.

Awoniyi was introduced for the second half after Wood and new signing Igor Jesus led the line from the first whistle in midweek, while the latter's fellow arrival Jair Cunha came off the bench at the break too.

Neither Ola Aina nor Murillo saw the field last time out, but the two defensive regulars could be drafted back into the starting lineup here before Santo rotates his resources again.

On Birmingham's end, neither Phil Neumann nor Paik Seung-ho were involved in the triumph over Port Vale, and Davies has now confirmed that the pair have joined Jay Stansfield in the infirmary with minor injuries.

While none of the trio are nursing anything serious, it may be a couple of weeks before they are available for selection again, and Blues also lost Eiran Cashin to a stomach problem in the second half against Port Vale.

As a result, former Arsenal youth product Krystian Bielik could be drafted into the backline, while Premier League winner Demarai Gray and Kyogo Furuhashi are primed to link arms in the attacking third.

Birmingham possible starting lineup:

Allsop; Osayi-Samuel, Bielik, Klarer, Cochrane; Doyle, Iwata, Leonard; Gray, Furuhashi, Anderson

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Sangare, Anderson; Gibbs-White; Jesus, Awoniyi

We say: Birmingham 0-2 Nottingham Forest

The less said about Forest's attacking exploits this summer the better, but Santo's crop are now coming up against a Birmingham side with a couple of untimely fitness concerns at the back.

Therefore, the Tricky Trees should re-light the blue touch paper and belatedly claim their maiden pre-season victory, as Birmingham enter the new Championship campaign on a low note.