Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 English Premier League
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THE FACTS
When is Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth on and what time does it start? Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth will take place on Saturday 23rd December, 2023 – 15:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth on in the UK? Television rights for the Premier League in the UK are shared between Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Amazon Prime so it is worth checking their schedules for Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth
Where can I stream Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth in the UK? If Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth is televised, then it can be streamed on either Sky Go, discovery+ or Amazon Prime Video depending on who is broadcasting the match
THE LOWDOWN
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
During the week, Steve Cooper was relieved of his duties at the City Ground with the former Swansea City boss replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo, following his sacking by Al Ittihad earlier this season. The Reds have been in really underwhelming and poor form throughout the campaign but they remain likely to survive due to the weakness of the current bottom three.
Forest were beaten by two goals to nil last weekend at home to Tottenham and the two-time European champions have now managed to pick up one victory in their last 13 matches. Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen on ensuring his Forest defence is a lot tighter than it has been under Cooper with only the bottom three conceding more often than them so far.
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola’s stint in charge at Bournemouth has been a bit of a slow burner but The Cherries have found their form in the last month or so with four victories and a draw in their last five completed matches. They had just drawn level with Luton last weekend before that game was suspended and then eventually abandoned due to Luton captain Tom Lockyer suffering a cardiac arrest.
Prior to that game, Bournemouth’s form had been sublime with the fast, free flowing football that Iraola implemented at Rayo Vallecano in Spain now coming to fruition down on the south coast of England. Their 3-0 hammering of Manchester United at Old Trafford leaves them keen to push on towards the top-half of the table after some fairly heavy summer spending.
THE TEAM NEWS
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nuno Espirito Santo has a few injury concerns in his first game in charge but none are more important than his injured Nigerian forward, Taiwo Awoniyi. The Nigerian has been missing since November and remains out for the foreseeable.
Defensively, there are also concerns over experienced duo Serge Aurier and Felipe, who remain doubts for this week. Ibrahim Sangare, who joined from PSV on the final day of the summer transfer window, is also a doubt this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Turner; Boly, Murillo, Niakhate; Williams, Yates, Mangala, Kouyate, Toffolo; Elanga, Gibbs-White
UNAVAILABLE: Awoniyi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Felipe (Injured), Aurier (Injured), Sangare (Injured)
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola confirmed that Hamed Junior Traore will be absent this weekend due to illness, so he joins the injured Lloyd Kelly, Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Adams and Darren Randolph on the sidelines. Emiliano Marcondes remains unavailable despite making some progress.
Milos Kerkez is a doubt for this weekend after being pictured in a protective boot earlier this week, whilst Max Aarons has also returned to some form of training. Alex Scott was not expected to be involved at all last weekend but did make the bench.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Billing, Kluivert, Tavernier; Solanke
UNAVAILABLE: Randolph (Injured), Kelly (Injured), Fredericks (Injured), Traore (Illness), Adams (Injured), Marcondes (Injured),
QUESTIONABLE: Kerkez (Injured), Aarons (Injured), Scott (Injured), Semenyo (Injured)
THE PREDICTION
Nottingham Forest have been involved in some topsy-turvy games throughout this season and it was a topsy-turvy clash when they welcomed Gary O’Neil’s Bournemouth to the City Ground last season, taking a 2-0 lead but eventually losing the game by three goals to two. Bournemouth will remain confident, especially in their attacking play under Iraola, so will expect to hurt a Forest team that have leaked goals. Forest, though, with their possible new manager bounce and home advantage, should make it a lively affair.
TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
