Can the South Coast Team Make Forest’s Relegation Troubles Worse?
Brighton & Hove Albion host Nottingham Forest for their second Premier League matchup. The game will take place on March 1st at 9:00 a.m. EST. Brighton hopes to carry their momentum from their second win in 13 matches into their next game. The Seagulls previously beat Brentford 2-0 away at the Gtech Community Stadium. Brighton will get the chance to reinforce their formidable atmosphere at the Amex to reignite their previously amazing home form before it was broken by a devastating loss to Aston Villa in the first week of December. Meanwhile, Forest are currently on Europa League duty as they go against Fenerbahçe SK today, February 26th at 3:00 p.m. EST. Brighton look to regain their stellar home form, and Forest hope to win their second leg of the Europa League Playoffs to secure a Knock-Out Round spot.
Brighton Breakdown
Yasin Ayari is looking to be back on the bench for Brighton after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the Everton game. He will have his first training session on February 26th, where he will be able to make contact with his opponents. The 22-year-old midfielder has had previous training sessions without contact to let his shoulder heal, and he will be an option for the Forest match. James Milner made history in his last match against Brentford as he broke the record for most Premier League appearances. He is the current leader with 654 appearances over his career. He will be an option for the Forest game despite coming off the Brentford match with a knock. Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton’s coach, stated in his press conference that there are no new injuries to the squad. The coach recently celebrated his 33rd birthday as well. At the time of his hiring in 2024, he was the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.
Matt O’Riley will be looking to get into the starting line-up as Ayari is not completely match fit yet. O’Riley returned from his loan spell at Olympique de Marseille, where he worked under former Brighton boss Robert de Zerbi. The 25-year-old could be a key player either starting or as a substitute in the midfield. He has proven he can change the course of a match with late winners, but his ability in the midfield also created great chances for shots on goal. Jack Hinshelwood is another key player in the midfield as he can drop forward or backward to focus on offense or defense. However, some big clubs are circling for his signature in the upcoming summer transfer window. Unlike Carlos Baleba, Hinshelwood has to focus on his current team and not let the distractions from Man City, Liverpool, and Arsenal compromise his form.
Forest Breakdown
Nottingham Forest will have to think about the health of their players and manage their minutes. They have to play in the Europa League play-offs on February 26th, with only two days in between for rest and recovery until they are back on Premier League duty. Luckily, Forest did not have to travel to Fenerbahçe’s stadium in Turkey. Forest could take the match easily as they are 3-0 on the aggregate against their opponents. Turning towards their Premier League match, Forest are looking to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone. Currently, they are only two points away from falling out of the Premier League. However, they might be safe from West Ham United rising through the ranks as they have to face defending champions Liverpool on February 28th at 10:00 a.m. EST. The match against Brighton is a must win from them in order not be relegated to the Championship.
As long as all of the Forest players do not sustain any injuries from the Fenerbahçe match, Morgan Gibbs-White is one of their key players for the Brighton game. He is an attacking midfielder and already has six goals and two assists in the Premier League. Gibbs-White is another player who has big clubs wanting to sign him in the transfer window. Forest’s new coach, who was recently appointed on February 15th, Vítor Pereira, states that he does not think the distractions from bigger clubs’ interest in his players will detract from his goals with the team. Similarly, Elliot Anderson is getting a lot of attention from other clubs to sign him. He is an up-and-coming English international who has recently been called up for his national team. Forest players must stay healthy in the Fenerbahçe game as they already have an injury crisis with their star striker, Chris Wood, being out with knee surgery, defender Willy Boly being out with a knee injury, and their regular starting goalkeeper, Matz Sels, out with a groin injury.
Match Expectations
Since Forest’s coach was only appointed on February 15th, the team is still getting used to his tactics. Pereira favors mid-blocks and players that provide options for quick counter-attacks. Igor Jesus and Callum Hudson-Odoi can provide the pace and speed needed for quicker counter-attacks. Forest will have to be patient to strike with their counter-attacks as Brighton favors large sections of possession and building out from the back. The Seagulls prefer to have quick passes through the lines, creating passing lanes through the center to quickly move forward, and positioning players strategically to make triangles for swift passes.
Brighton will go into this match more confident than in previous matches as they finally have a win in the Premier League, and they beat Forest 2-0 in the reverse fixture. This match has the potential to have a slower pace due to Brighton’s methodical build-up and the tired legs from Forest due to their international competitions. However, Brighton will be the better-rested team. Therefore, the predicted score for this match is a Brighton victory, 2-1.
