Brentford vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Keith Andrews will be immensely frustrated with Brentford’s last week or so as The Bees now welcome a struggling Nottingham Forest side to West London.

Kick-off date/time: 31 October 2026 at 3:00 pm

How to watch on TV & online: UK – Not televised & cannot be streamed / USA – NBC & Peacock

Brentford preview: Cup defeat

Brentford come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat to a struggling Sunderland side in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. The Bees would have wanted a deep run into the cups this season given how comfortable they are going to be in the Premier League.

The West Londoners narrowly missed out on European qualification last season and underwhelmed in the cups, much to the chagrin of supporters, and so another early and fairly poor elimination will again frustrate fans and Keith Andrews.

Nottingham Forest preview: Waiting for it to click

Oliver Glasner has said he is waiting for things to click at Nottingham Forest as they plod along down at the bottom end of the Premier League table with just one victory in their opening eight games of the campaign.

Forest head into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road last week with Neco Williams’ early opener for Forest cancelled out by Julio Enciso for the hosts before half-time.

Brentford team news: Janelt returns

German midfielder Vitaly Janelt has returned from suspension after being sent off against Liverpool a couple of weeks ago, while Yehor Yarmolyuk remains suspended after his red card in that one.

Midfield duo Antoni Milambo and Josh Dasilva have been long-term injury absentees for the hosts but they are beginning to work their way back to full fitness.

Further details will appear here following pre-match press conferences…

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Van den Berg, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Jensen, Sangare; Ouattara, Janelt, Schade; Thiago

Unavailable: Henry (Injured), Yarmolyuk (Suspended), Furo (Injured)

Questionable: Milambo (Fitness), Dasilva (Fitness)

Nottingham Forest team news: Couple of fresh injuries

Last weekend’s goal scorer Neco Williams is now an injury doubt for the visitors this weekend alongside Nicolas Dominguez, albeit Glasner suggested the latter would be back for this one.

Nicolo Savona has been sidelined throughout the campaign alongside Igor Jesus but the Brazilian striker is working his way back to full fitness for Forest.

Further details will appear here following pre-match press conferences…

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sels; Jair, Milenkovic, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Aina; Ndoye, Gibbs-White; Delap

Unavailable: Savona (Injured)

Questionable: Williams (Injured), Dominguez (Injured), Jesus (Injured)

Key stats

• Brentford and Forest have met eight times in the Premier League since 1992/93, with three wins each and two draws. 
• Forest have won the last two meetings, 3-1 at the City Ground in August 2025 and 2-0 at Brentford in January 2026. 
• Brentford's home Premier League record against Forest is W2 L2; Forest won 2-0 on each of their last two visits, in December 2024 and January 2026. 
• Brentford are sixth coming into Matchweek 9 with 11 points – only once in their six Premier League seasons since 1992/93 have they had more after eight games (12 in 2021/22). 
• Brentford have drawn seven of their last ten league games (W2 L1), including all four of their away games this season. 
• Brentford have scored in ten consecutive Premier League games since 17 May 2026, but are winless in their last three (D2 L1). 
• Forest are 18th coming into Matchweek 9, winless in four league games (D1 L3) since beating Aston Villa 2-1 on 12 September. 
• All six of Forest's league goals this season have come away from home – they have failed to score in all four home games. 
• Forest have scored in 14 consecutive Premier League away games since 3 January 2026. 
• Forest's six goals are the joint-fewest in the Premier League this season, level with Coventry and Sunderland. 
• Darren England refereed two of the previous meetings and Brentford won both: 3-2 at home in January 2024 and 2-0 at Forest in May 2025. 
• Brentford have won six of their 14 Premier League games under England (D1 L7), while Forest are unbeaten in their last three with him (W1 D2). 

'Key stats' are Premier League only (not all competitions)

Brentford vs Nottingham Forest prediction

Brentford went into the international break with a 3-0 hammering of Chelsea and they were expected to push themselves towards Europe again this season. That may well of course still be the case but a draw with Hull City and then a defeat to Sunderland in the cup will have stung. Forest’s intended counter-attacking style may suit the direct style of the hosts but a good bet seems a low-scoring contest as Brentford attempt to rediscover fluency and the visitors remaining stilted at the moment.

Brentford vs Nottingham Forest tip: Under 2.5 goals