Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Prediction: More joy for the hosts

After earning a point at home to Liverpool in midweek, Nottingham Forest take to the City Ground again in the Premier League on Sunday (14:00), as they host struggling Southampton. The Saints travel to the East Midlands after a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United on Thursday, a game which they led 1-0 until the 82nd minute before Amad Diallo hit them with a hat-trick.

Below you will find my Nottingham Forest vs Southampton prediction, accompanied by the latest team news and match odds.

Nottingham Forest vs Southampton Odds

Forest have won five of their last seven league games on home soil, and they are 4/11 to beat the Saints on Sunday. Better value comes by backing the Tricky Trees to win to nil, which they have managed in each of their past four victories. This is on offer at 23/20 for Sunday, which has an implied probability of 46.5%.

Southampton have won just one Premier League match this season, so their 8/1 price feels quite low against a team fighting at the top end of the table. The draw is available at 4/1, which was the outcome here on Tuesday against league leaders Liverpool.

Over 3.5 goals has landed in Southampton's last two appearances in the top flight, and is on offer at a tempting 7/4 (36.4%) here.

Football Odds

Team News

Nuno Espirito Santo has most of his squad available at the moment, with just Ibrahim Sangare (hamstring) sidelined through injury. With Forest having a strong chance of a top-four finish this season, a clean bill of health goes a long way at this stage of the campaign.

Forest's starting XI picks itself at the moment with the form they are in. The impressive Matz Sels will continue in goal, after another string of fine saves against Liverpool last time out.

Neco Williams will continue as a makeshift left-back while Ole Aina holds down the right side of the defence. The strong partnership of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic will command the defensive line.

Elliot Anderson is a fixture in the engine room, while Nuno has tended to alternate between captain Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez alongside him. The front four should remain intact with top scorer Chris Wood leading the line, aided by the exciting trio of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga.

For Southampton, attacker Ross Stewart (hamstring), Juan Larios and Jack Stephens (both unspecified) remain out of action, while Flynn Downes was able to make an appearance from the bench at Old Trafford on Thursday.

The midfielder could be in line to return to the starting XI in Nottinghamshire, possibly at the expense of Lesley Ugochukwu. Another man for the engine room could be Will Smallbone, who made his long-awaited return last weekend in the FA Cup win over Swansea City.

He made a cameo against United last time out, and Ivan Juric will likely wait for him to build up for fitness before restoring him to the starting lineup in the Premier League.

Aaron Ramsdale will continue in goal for the Saints as Gavin Bazunu builds up his fitness with the Under-21s after his Achilles injury.

Nottingham Forest to win to nil @ 23/20

Forest were able to hold on to a valuable point against Liverpool after they faced an onslaught from the Reds in the second half. The Tricky Trees were the dominant force for the opening 45, though, and they did still threaten on the counter when Liverpool grew into the game.

They remain unbeaten in their last seven in the league, and they will be confident facing the team rooted to the bottom of the table in Southampton. The Saints have lost four on the bounce in the top flight and they have also conceded a whopping 47 goals from their 21 appearances to date.

Forest have won three of their last four league matches at the City Ground, while they have conceded just one goal in their previous five outings in the top-flight. They won four in a row before the Liverpool game without conceding a goal.

They are facing a side who have mustered just two goals in their last seven Premier League contests. I think this makes Forest to win to nil extremely enticing as the hosts are so strong defensively, boasting the joint second-best record in the league with Liverpool (20 goals conceded), while they certainly have the attacking quality to cause problems for one of the worst defences in the division.

Chris Wood anytime goalscorer @ 9/10

Striker Wood has been vital to Forest's surge this campaign and he has been one of the standout attackers in the league with 13 goals so far. Only Mohamed Salah (18), Erling Haaland (16), Alexander Isak (15) and Cole Palmer (14) have scored more than the New Zealand international, so he is keeping himself in good company.

Wood opened proceedings against Liverpool in midweek after being played in by a deft through ball from Elanga, making it three goals in as many games in the top flight. He's full of confidence right now which is showing in his performances, and Forest are eager to tie him down to a new contract.

As his side can still keep themselves in the title conversation, he will be raring to go against the worst side in the division on Sunday, especially with a full home crowd behind him.

He's riding a wave of momentum at the moment and I think he will add to Southampton's long list of woes.

Offers

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