Preview: Brentford vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

Having come out on opposite ends of 3-2 scorelines in their FA Cup third-round replays, Brentford and Nottingham Forest now turn their attention to Saturday's Premier League battle at the Gtech Community Stadium.

While the Bees' FA Cup journey came to an end in a five-goal thriller against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Tricky Trees emerged victorious from a 120-minute scrap with Blackpool on Wednesday.

Match preview

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For the second time in the space of a month, Brentford were on the wrong end of a five-goal spectacular against Gary O'Neil's Wolves, who came away from the Gtech Community Stadium with a 1-1 FA Cup draw on January 5 after previously storming to a 4-1 top-flight beating just after Christmas.

The Bees were on the path to redemption when Nathan Collins struck against his former club, only for Nelson Semedo to respond before the half-time break, and Brentford were also pegged back by Nathan Fraser after Neal Maupay had restored their slender advantage.

The net would ripple once more in the additional 30 minutes, but gut-wrenchingly for the Gtech faithful, it came via the boot of Matheus Cunha, whose 110th-minute effort allowed Wolves to set up a Black Country derby with West Bromwich Albion and extend the Bees' morale-sapping streak without success.

Seven successive matches - six of which have ended in defeat - have now come and gone without Brentford managing to emerge triumphant, and having had their wings clipped, the Bees are dancing with the relegation devil in 16th place, three points clear of the drop zone with a game in hand on Luton Town.

Each of Brentford's last five Premier League matches have now seen the Bees pick up zero points - their longest losing streak in the top tier since their return to the big time in 2021 - but smiles will be etched across the faces of the home fans either way this weekend, as Thomas Frank welcomes his leading number nine back to top-flight duty.

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Four goals were shared at the City Ground during Nottingham Forest's opening FA Cup battle with Blackpool, and as both teams continued to demonstrate their commitment to attacking, an identical tally flew into the Bloomfield Road nets across 90 minutes in Wednesday's rematch.

Forest did themselves few favours, letting a two-goal lead slip as Albie Morgan and Kyle Joseph responded to Danilo and Andrew Omobamidele's efforts, but after a brief pause for a medical emergency in the crowd, Chris Wood tapped in the game's fifth and final goal to extend the Tricky Trees' unbeaten streak under Nuno Espirito Santo.

While Brentford were undone by a 110th-minute goal against Wolves, Wood coincidentally bagged the all-important Forest winner with 110 minutes on the clock, thus propelling Santo's side to a third win from four games as the new manager bounce continues to shine through.

Unforeseen Premier League successes over Newcastle United and Manchester United means that Forest sit one place and one point better off than Brentford in 15th spot - albeit having played an extra match - and the Tricky Trees have only partaken in exciting, goal-laden affairs under the Portuguese coach so far.

Indeed, Forest have scored at least twice in all five of their opening fixtures with Santo at the helm - albeit while failing to keep a single clean sheet and letting eight strikes fly past them - and the Reds have failed to win any of their three Premier League fixtures with Brentford to date.

Team News

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After an excruciating eight-month period without a taste of Premier League football, Brentford's in-demand talisman Ivan Toney has completed his lengthy betting suspension and is finally able to step foot onto the Gtech turf again; he has been building up his fitness behind closed doors and an immediate recall to the first XI as captain is in order.

Saturday's fixture could also see the debut of Sergio Reguilon, whose loan signing from Tottenham Hotspur was announced on Wednesday evening, as the Spaniard provides additional cover for the injured Rico Henry (knee) and Aaron Hickey (thigh).

Bryan Mbeumo (ankle), Kevin Schade (groin) and Christian Norgaard (ankle) are also out of contention, while Yoane Wissa, Saman Ghoddos and Frank Onyeka have international commitments to fulfil, but Kristoffer Ajer came back from his own foot issue to make the first XI on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Forest's tally of international representatives is double that of Brentford's, as Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare, Serge Aurier, Willy Boly, Moussa Niakhate and Cheikhou Kouyate were called up to the Africa Cup of Nations, although the latter is in mourning following the death of his father and has left the Senegal camp.

Divock Origi (groin), Felipe (thigh) and Anthony Elanga (knock) all missed the second-leg beating of Blackpool alongside long-term groin victim Taiwo Awoniyi, and Santo was also forced to take Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi off during the clash at Bloomfield Road.

Whether either man's undetermined affliction is enough to keep them out of Saturday's game remains to be seen, but either the recently-reinstated Scott McKenna or Joe Worrall are on hand to deputise for Murillo in defence if need be.

Morgan Gibbs-White has also been ruled out with an abdominal problem, although Santo is hopeful that his issue will not sideline him for longer than a week.

Brentford possible starting lineup:Flekken; Collins, Ajer, Mee; Roerslev, Janelt, Jensen, Baptiste, Reguilon; Toney, Maupay

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:Turner; Montiel, Omobamidele, Worrall, Toffolo; Danilo, Mangala; Yates, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

We say: Brentford 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Yet to draw a blank or keep a clean sheet during the embryonic stages of Santo's reign, such a theme should continue for Forest at the Gtech Community Stadium, where the eligible-again Toney has lost time and lost goals to make up for.

While Brentford have had the luxury of an extra recovery day, absentees are continuing to hit Frank's off-colour troops hard, but Forest's own selection concerns means that both sides may have to be content with a point this weekend.

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