Preview: Notts County vs Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Nottingham Forest start their pre-season schedule with a friendly at neighbours Notts County on Saturday afternoon.

The game will represent Oliver Glasner's opening fixture since replacing Vitor Pereira earlier this month.

Match preview

On the final day of June, Forest supporters had settled on Vitor Pereira leading the next Premier League campaign, a seemingly justified continuation of his role having kept the club in the top flight.

However, after the Portuguese was ruthlessly sacked by Evangelos Marinakis just minutes before the end of a contractual break clause, Glasner has taken the reins.

With three pieces of silverware during his historic reign at Crystal Palace, Forest fans will be delighted with the appointment, but there is much work ahead for the Austrian, who is closing on his first signing.

Forest currently have six pre-season friendlies pencilled in, with Blackburn Rovers, Vitoria, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen and Brest to follow.

Given that the majority of the squad did not feature at the World Cup, Glasner will hope to hit the ground running and build momentum for 2026-27.

In sharp contrast, Notts County have already played three times ahead of their return to League One.

A 5-0 victory at nearby Alfreton Town has been followed by defeats to Danish sides Viborg (2-0) and Randers (3-1).

Martin Paterson will be satisfied with the run-outs against superior opposition, particularly when they commence the season with an EFL Cup tie at Burnley and League One opener versus Leicester City.

Five signings have been made so far, with undisclosed fees having been spent on Stoke City youngster Darius Lipsuic and Dundee forward Emile Acquah.

The addition of Cambridge United right-back James Gibbons on a free transfer is another significant signing.

Notts County Club Friendlies 3 form:

W L L

Nottingham Forest Friendlies form:

No games

Team News

Having reached the knockout stages of the World Cup with their respective nations, Ibrahim Sangare, Dan Ndoye and Chris Wood will all miss this contest.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is also unlikely to feature after surgery during the closing weeks of 2025-26.

The make-up of the Forest XI is unknown, but Glasner is likely to include a number of academy players in his squad.

Paterson is expected to rotate a number of the Notts County team that started against Randers on Tuesday, including defender Jacob Bedeau, midfielder Conor Grant and Acquah.

Nick Tsaroulla (knock), Matt Palmer (knock) and Jodi Jones (illness) will all be assessed.

Notts County possible starting lineup:

Roos; Bedeau, T.Dean, Ness, Kouhyar, Grant, Sanders, Reynolds, Muir, Acquah, Iwunze

We say: Notts County 2-2 Nottingham Forest

The fact that Forest have had less than two weeks to train with a new head coach can only play into the favour of Notts County. Nevertheless, we still expect the Premier League club to come out of this contest with a share of the spoils, potentially in an entertaining encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.