Brighton & Hove Albion vs Nottingham Forest Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Separated by just three places in the Premier League standings, Brighton & Hove Albion host 17th-placed Nottingham Forest at the Amex Stadium on Sunday in round 28. The Seagulls are aiming for consecutive league victories for the first time since November and could secure their ninth top-flight win of the season—while pushing Forest closer to the relegation zone—with a win.

Brighton’s recent 2-0 victory at Brentford was a landmark occasion, as James Milner set a new Premier League appearance record. That result ended a six-game winless run since their previous triumph over Burnley in early January, which itself had snapped another six-match drought. Before last weekend, Brighton had managed just one win in 13 league games, but goals from Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck ensured Fabian Hurzeler’s side remain nine points clear of the relegation zone. Another win this weekend would all but guarantee their Premier League survival, barring a dramatic turnaround from the teams below them.

However, Brighton have only managed back-to-back league wins once all season, last achieving the feat in November with victories over Brentford and Forest. They’ll be hoping to repeat that success against this weekend’s visitors.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have struggled in front of goal since Lorenzo Lucca scored in their 3-1 loss to Leeds at Elland Road. Since then, Forest have taken 56 shots with an expected goals tally of 3.86, but have failed to score. This lack of cutting edge was evident in their agonizing 1-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend, when Alexis Mac Allister struck a 97th-minute winner. That loss, combined with West Ham’s draw against Bournemouth, leaves Forest just two points above the drop zone.

Depending on West Ham’s result at Liverpool on Saturday, Forest could find themselves in the relegation places by the time they kick off at the Amex if they suffer a 15th league defeat of the season. Manager Vitor Pereira, whose side advanced to the Europa League last 16 after a scare against Fenerbahce, will be hoping for a positive result to ease the pressure as the season enters a crucial phase.

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Although James Milner was forced off late in the Brentford match with a suspected thigh injury, the veteran midfielder has been cleared to play on Sunday. Solly March (knee) and Yasin Ayari (shoulder) will undergo late fitness tests, while Adam Webster (knee) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are confirmed absentees.

Danny Welbeck, who ended a seven-game Premier League goal drought at Brentford, has the chance to score his 10th league goal of the season this weekend, matching his career-best tally from last season. At 35, he could become the first player aged 33 or older since Jamie Vardy (2020-21 and 2021-22) to reach double figures in consecutive Premier League campaigns.

For Nottingham Forest, the absence of Chris Wood (knee) since November has put the goal-scoring burden on Morgan Gibbs-White, who will look to add to his six league goals at the Amex. Igor Jesus, meanwhile, has found more success in the Europa League (seven goals) than in the Premier League (two goals), though both his domestic strikes have been decisive, just one fewer than Gibbs-White’s three match-winners.

Besides Wood, Forest are also contending with knee injuries to John Victor, Nicolo Savona, and Willy Boly, while Matz Selz is close to returning from a groin issue.

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