Football
Nottingham Forest vs Brighton Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Date: February 1, 2025 Kickoff Time: 12:30 (UK Time) Venue: City Ground Maybe top-rated Premier League bookmakers anticipate a close contest. Yes, they have both suffered disappointing results, given away points due to lackluster performances and even failed to capitalize on real opportunities – but the point remains, neither side lacks belief or ability and will be looking at walking away from this one with all three points.
Anthony Elanga and James Bree//Getty Images
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Home: 36/25 (2.44) – 39%
Draw: 13/5 (3.6) – 27%
Away: 9/5 (2.8) – 34%
Head-To-Head Record
Last five meetings (Premier League)
22/09/2024: Brighton 2–2 Nottingham Forest
10/03/2024: Brighton 1–0 Nottingham Forest
25/11/2023: Nottingham Forest 2–3 Brighton
26/04/2023: Nottingham Forest 3–1 Brighton
18/10/2022: Brighton 0–0 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Current Form – WWDWL
Yes, a lot has been said about this Nottingham Forest side, and maybe rightly so, but they have stuttered a little in recent weeks and look to be quite vulnerable. Their last outing against Bournemouth seemed – on paper – to be a contender for match of the weekend, but they were battered.
Forest have been a force to be reckoned with, especially on the road, and they find themselves in a really exciting position in the league. They will know they need to get back to winnings ways, and soon, so expect a big performance here.
Key Players to Watch
- Eliot Anderson: Anderson would have been a player you hadn’t heard too much about coming into this season. He has struggled a little bit to find consistent game time in the Premier League but took any chance to come his way with both hands. His work rate in the middle of the pitch could be a game changer, and the host will certainly be wanting another big performance here.
- Ola Aina: We have previously drawn attention to the fact that Forest boasts a really robust and gritty defensive system. For us, it has been the root cause for their competitiveness during this season.
Aina won’t always be a name associated with their defensive prowess, but as a wide player he has been incredible for his team. He is certainly one to watch here. - Jota Silva: In previous articles, we have spoken a fair amount about the attacking options Nottingham Forest have. Jota Silva hasn’t always formed part of that, but his inclusion has seen even more pace injected into an already fluid Forest attack!
Nottingham Forest Team News
Callum Hudson-Odoi (groin injury) and Ibrahim Sangare (thigh injury) are unavailable to Forest for this encounter.
Brighton Current Form – DWWWL
Not one Brighton prediction saw that Everton result. The Seagulls were really impressive against Manchester United, but they failed to follow that up against David Moyes’ Everton side. Brighton pride themselves on their ability to control a game and dominate – and to be fair to them, they look to play like this against anyone.
Brighton will no doubt know that they are up against it here, but with that being said, they will want a swift return to winning ways.
Key Players to Watch
- Joao Pedro: At the start of the season, he was one of the players Brighton largely depended on for goals and a positive Brighton prediction for the season. That has now seemingly changed. It is never a bad thing for a football side to have options in the final third, Brighton will be hopeful he finds his best form once again.
- Lewis Dunk: A stalwart in the league, Lewis Dunk continues to lead this Brighton defence with absolute composure and aggressiveness. He will be important here against a Forest side who hold a lot of attacking weapons, one which will come at the Seagulls with a lot of pace.
- Danny Welbeck: His is a name which often comes up when you speak of Brighton and the weapons, they have upfront. Welbeck is yet another experienced attacking player in the Premier League. He certainly knows how to find the back of the net and the Seagulls will be hopeful of more here.
Brighton Team News
Evan Ferguson (ankle injury), Ferdi Kadioglu (foot injury), Igor Julio (thigh injury), James Milner (knock), Jason Steele (shoulder injury) and Mats Wieffer (knock) are all a doubt for Brighton.
Predicted Line-Up
Nottingham Forest: 4-2-3-1
Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Yates, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Silva, Wood.
Brighton: 4-2-3-1
Verbruggen, Lamptey, Dunk, van Hecke, Veltman, Baleba, Ayari, Mitoma, Pedro, Gruda, Welbeck
Suggested Bets
These are our online football betting strategies for the weekend, as well as our Nottingham Forest vs Brighton prediction.
Nottingham Forest Win: Forest and Brighton are fairly evenly poised. The only difference between them is the attacking threat the hosts hold, for us it is the difference here. 36/25 (2.44) with 1xBet and Stake
Both Teams to Score: Yes, both of these teams have attacking threats, but their inability to keep a clean sheet has been their downfall at times. Back Both Teams to Score here. 6/10 (1.6) with Stake and 1xBet
Nottingham Forest + Both Teams to Score (Yes): It is definitely a betting strategy we enjoy, our favourite combo is available at 33/10 (2.85) with 1xBet and Stake.
Value Bets
Over 2.5 Goals: As simple as this bet might be, the value about over 2.5 goals with reliable bookmakers for betting is outstanding! 4/5 (1.8) with Betway. You simply have to get on!
Both Halves Over 1.5 Goals: We think the bookmakers haven’t yet caught up to this betting angle. With odds of 21/5 (5.2) with Betway, there is enough value alone to justify a punt.
Chris Wood (Anytime Goalscorer): Chris Wood has been in incredible form recently, and so we certainly advise backing him finding the back of the net at some point during this encounter. Get on at 18/10 (2.8) with 1xBet and Stake.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest still finds themselves in real contention for Premier League football. At the time of writing, they are third on the table and play with a confidence and belief which seems unphased by any previous result.
They deserve to be lauded this season, they seem to be fully aware of their league position and for us, their biggest asset seems to be the fact that they aren’t getting ahead of themselves and are enjoying every moment! Back Forest to find another win here!
Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.
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