Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Both clubs surprised in the last round, with Brighton in a negative sense and Nottingham Forest in a positive one. There was an element of randomness in both cases.
Brighton
Brighton only managed a draw with newly promoted Ipswich Town, despite Ipswich being the team that creates the fewest chances in the league. The match statistics bear this out: shots (21-6), shots on target (6-1), xG (1.66-0.35), and possession (69-31). Despite their dominance, Brighton could have actually lost. After testing Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric with numerous efforts, Brighton nearly conceded in the 55th minute from the visitors' first counterattack, with Liam Delap hitting the woodwork. Omari Hutchinson also had a chance but lacked the strength to finish after a long run. Nottingham Forest, who successfully counter-attacked against Liverpool, could pose similar threats.
Nottingham Forest
Liverpool dominated the entire first half against Nottingham Forest, with Nottingham Forest failing to register a single shot. The team took six shots, with Luis Díaz hitting the woodwork. Even the visiting goalkeeper Matz Sels almost inadvertently helped Liverpool, but managed to keep the ball out. Nottingham Forest endured Liverpool's unsuccessful efforts for more than an hour before scoring themselves, thanks to a spectacular strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi. In the second half, Nottingham Forest were actually more dangerous than Liverpool, with xG in their favour (0.44-0.29), despite having fewer shots (5-8).
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest Prediction
Brighton also had midweek action in the League Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers (3:2), where they had to field half of their starting lineup. Their last match against Nottingham Forest ended in a narrow 1:0 win for Brighton, but in the last five head-to-head meetings, the bet of Nottingham Forest with a +1.5 handicap has come through. This Sunday, the visitors are also likely to come close to earning points.
