Brentford v Nottingham Forest: Preview, predicted line-ups & team news

Brentford have made drawing an art form, and Nottingham Forest would take one right now.

The hosts have drawn five of their eight Premier League games and lost only once, which leaves them sixth. Forest are 18th with six points, inside the relegation zone on goal difference. They have not scored at the City Ground all season.

This fixture, which kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, pits a side that has struggled to turn good performances into wins against one that cannot find a goal at home. Brentford have yet to win away from home this season, but they play this one in west London, where they have won twice.

Brentford's last eight league games read W2 D5 L1. They have drawn four from four on the road, scoring six and conceding six. At home it is a different story: two wins, one draw and one defeat, with eight goals scored and three conceded, a concession rate of 0.8 per game.

The most recent result was a 1-1 away draw on 25 October. Before that came a 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool on 17 October. Their best performances were the 3-0 wins over Tottenham on 22 August and Chelsea on 18 September, both at home. They have failed to score in none of their eight league games, and over that run their expected goals figure is above the 1.75 goals they have averaged.

Forest have taken six points from eight games. Their form reads W1 D3 L4 and they have lost three of their last four, including 1-0 at home to Arsenal on 18 October and 3-1 at Crystal Palace on 11 October. They did draw 1-1 at Ipswich on 23 October.

The problem is at the other end of the pitch. They have scored six goals in eight games, and none at home, where they have lost three and drawn one. Away from the City Ground they have been more competitive: one win, two draws and a defeat, with six goals scored. They have also conceded 1.8 per game on the road, so this is no comfortable trip.

Brentford's last eight league results show two wins, five draws and one defeat. They have scored in every game and averaged 1.75 goals, with only two clean sheets. Forest's show one win, three draws and four defeats, with four blanks and a return of 0.75 goals per game. The surface form favours the hosts, but Brentford's five draws mean they have dropped points from winning positions as often as they have banked them. Forest's expected goals of 1.56 per game is better than their output, and their 16 shots per game is higher than Brentford's 14.1. They are creating chances and not taking them.

Brentford are sixth on 11 points from eight games, level with Leeds and Newcastle and two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. Brighton in third are five points clear. A win would take them to 14 and into the top five conversation, while another draw would leave them in a congested pack.

Forest are 18th on six points from eight, with a goal difference of minus four. They are level on points with Coventry in 19th and one point behind Crystal Palace in 17th, the first side outside the bottom three. A win would lift them out of the drop zone on points. A defeat would leave them with a long climb and no home goal to their name.

There have been 10 meetings in the supplied sample. Brentford have won four, Forest three and three have been drawn. The average is three goals a game, 70% have seen both teams score and 50% have gone over 2.5 goals. The last meeting was a 2-0 win for Forest at the Brentford Community Stadium on 25 January 2026.

The pattern is that this fixture is rarely dull, and that Forest have been the tougher opponent in London lately, winning there in December 2024 and again in January. The BTTS rate of 70% points to goals at both ends, but Forest's home blanks and Brentford's 0.8 goals conceded per home game cut against that. The over 2.5 line is a coin flip on the H2H, and a 2-1 home win fits the scoring pattern better than a repeat of the recent 2-0 results.

The biggest gap is in goals. Brentford average 1.75 per game over their last eight, Forest 0.75. Brentford's xG for is higher than the 1.56 for Forest, while their xG against is also higher than the visitors' 1.05. Forest's defensive numbers are better than their results.

The second gap is in finishing. Forest have failed to score in four of their last eight, Brentford in none. Brentford also average 46.6% possession to Forest's 45.9%, so neither side dominates the ball. Corners are tight too: Brentford average 3.88 for and 4.75 against, Forest 4.13 each way. This will be decided by who converts chances, and Brentford's record says they do.

Brentford should line up in their usual 4-2-3-1, with a change in midfield because one midfielder is suspended. Forest have played a 3-4-2-1 all season and have no obvious replacement for two injured forwards.

Brentford: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Hickey; Janelt, Jensen; Schade, Damsgaard, Ouattara; Thiago

Nottingham Forest: Sels; Milenkovic, Murillo, Diomande; Aina, I Sangare, Yates, Netz; Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

Brentford v Nottingham Forest kicks off at 3pm GMT on Saturday 31 October. It is not being shown live on TV or streaming in the UK because it falls inside the Saturday 3pm blackout. Highlights will be on Match of the Day, and we will have a live blog running through the afternoon.

The strongest angle is the home win, backed by the gap in scoring between the sides. Forest have scored six goals in eight league games and none at home, while Brentford have scored in every game. The BTTS market is where the H2H history sits, with seven of the last 10 meetings producing goals at both ends. Our bet builder leans on Brentford's shooting and the home win, with Thiago as the scorer.