Brighton vs Nottingham Forest – News and Probable Lineups

With only three places separating them in the Premier League standings, Brighton & Hove Albion will host 17th-place Nottingham Forest at the Amex during the 28th round on Sunday.

The Seagulls are looking to secure consecutive league victories for the first time since November and can achieve their ninth top-flight win of the season, while moving Forest closer to the relegation battle by collecting all three points.

Match overview

On a day when James Milner set a Premier League record for the most appearances in the league’s history, Brighton pulled off a surprising 2-0 victory over Brentford in West London, marking their eighth win in the top flight.

This victory came after a long six-match wait for maximum points, following their 2-0 win over Burnley, who are currently second from the bottom, at the beginning of January. That match ended a previous streak of six games without a win.

Before their success at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday, the Seagulls had only one win in their previous 13 matches, making them candidates to be dragged into the relegation talks; however, goals from Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck ensured Fabaan Hurzeler’s side remained nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Now, they are hunting for what could be their ninth league win this season, putting them in a strong position to secure another year in the top flight, unless they experience a collapse and teams below them find their form as the season closes.

Nevertheless, a side that has achieved back-to-back victories just once all season—having not done so since their wins against Brentford and Forest in November—will hope to replicate those results against this weekend’s visitors.

Despite Brighton’s inconsistent performances, this outcome seems plausible given Forest’s struggles to score in the top division since Lorenzo Lucca found the net during a 3-1 loss against Leeds United at Elland Road.

The Tricky Trees have taken 56 shots on goal, amassing an expected goals (xG) total of 3.86 during this period, yet have failed to score.

This may explain why new manager Vitor Pereira was furious after Alexis Mac Allister’s late 97th-minute goal for Liverpool at the City Ground in the previous round.

That defeat, along with West Ham United’s draw with Bournemouth, has left Forest just two points above the 18th-placed Hammers as they approach this weekend’s fixture.

As a result of the results in gameweek 27, the side in 17th position could find themselves in the relegation zone this weekend if they suffer a 15th defeat in the top flight on Sunday and West Ham pulls off an upset against Champions League-chasing Liverpool at Anfield.

With that match taking place 24 hours earlier, Pereira, whose team narrowly avoided elimination against Fenerbahce on Thursday to reach the Europa League last 16, could face significant pressure going into their fixture if the Hammers claim victory or feel relieved if West Ham loses against the reigning champions.

Team News

Despite Milner leaving the pitch late against Brentford with a suspected thigh injury, the experienced midfielder has been given the green light to play on Sunday.

However, Solly March (knee) and Yasin Ayari (shoulder) are set to undergo late fitness tests, while Adam Webster (knee) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are confirmed absentees.

Having broken his seven-match scoreless streak in the Premier League against Brentford, Welbeck is aiming to net his 10th league goal this weekend, which would match his career-high from last season.

The 35-year-old could potentially become the first player aged 33 or older since Jamie Vardy in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons to score 10 or more goals in back-to-back seasons.

With Chris Wood (knee) sidelined since November, Forest has had to depend on Morgan Gibbs-White for goals, as the attacking midfielder aims to increase his tally of six goals at the Amex.

Interestingly, Igor Jesus has not been able to reflect his Europa League success in domestic matches, scoring seven and two goals respectively; although both of his top-flight goals have been decisive, one less than Gibbs-White’s three match-winning contributions.

Apart from Wood, Forest has a number of other players dealing with knee injuries, with John Victor, Nicolo Savona, and Willy Boly all facing such challenges, while Matz Selz is nearing a return from a groin issue.

Brighton & Hove Albion probable starting XI:

Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Hinshelwood, Bale, Gross; Gomez, Welbeck, Mitoma

Nottingham Forest probable starting XI:

Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Brighton’s last three wins in the Premier League have resulted in clean sheets for each match, including their earlier fixture against Forest in late November.

While the away side is expected to have some luck in front of goal this weekend, the fatigue factor from European competition and Welbeck’s quest for a landmark goal could serve as key elements in breaking the Tricky Trees’ defense.