Nottinghamshire

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest spent around £180m in the summer but cracking the code in front of goal has been a major problem for them this season.

No team has failed to score in more different Premier League games than Forest in 2025-26 (11) and only rock-bottom Wolves (15) have scored fewer than their tally of 23.

But crucially they registered twice on Sunday to see off Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium and boost their hopes of survival.

Summer signing Igor Jesus scored for just the second time in the league - controlling on his chest before emphatically volleying in the opener - before fellow striker Taiwo Awoniyi scored for the first time in over a year.

The goals provide relief for both manager Sean Dyche and supporters after a difficult run, but crucially victory also maintains a five-point gap to the relegation zone.

Forest, who had just one win from their previous eight games across all competitions, became just the second team after Manchester City to win at Brentford in the league this season.

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's victory at Brentford: "Resilience was the most pleasing aspect. Brentford have been brilliant at home.

"It was a game of two halves. We put pressure on in the first half and had to contain them in the second.

"They had a fast start and it's not an easy task but you have to find a balance between defending resolutely and hitting on the attack."

On keeping a five-point gap over 18th-placed West Ham: "We can't do anything about other people, it's just about ourselves."

On goals for Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi: "We got a couple of very different goals. Igor took it superbly and Taiwo came on and slotted it calmly.

"The hardest job in the game is scoring as a centre-forward. I don't put pressure on them to score I just want them in the right place."

On when new striker Lorenzo Lucca will be available: "Hopefully this week. It was just paperwork."

Did you know?

• Dyche has won 30.3% of his Premier League matches in which his side have had less than 50% possession (87/287), compared to just 19.7% when his team have had 50% possession or more (12/61).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

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Brentford saw a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League ended via a 2-0 loss at Chelsea last weekend, but boss Keith Andrews sticks with the same eleven.

The Bees boast the fourth best home record in the league and climb as high as fourth in the standings if they pick up a win today.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Henry, Ajer, Collins, Kayode, Janelt, Yarmolyuk, Damsgaard, Jensen, Schade, Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Van den Berg, Pinnock, Henderson, Nelson, Ouattara, Lewis-Potter, Donovan.

Sean Dyche also goes with an unchanged lineup from Nottingham Forest's last Premier League outing when they held league leaders Arsenal to a goalless draw.

Forest did play on Thursday in the Europa League, losing 1-0 at Braga, and have won just one of their last eight across all competitions.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Anderson, Sangare, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus.

Subs: Gunna, Morato, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Hutchinson, Yates, McAtee, Bakwa, Savona.

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

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• Crystal Palace v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Newcastle v Aston Villa - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

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It's the teams beginning with B that I am struggling most with this season - I don't seem able to predict what Brentford, Brighton or Bournemouth will do. I am not confident about getting Brentford right this time either.

On paper, this seems pretty straightforward because they are so strong at home and Igor Thiago is in brilliant form, but I can see Nottingham Forest making it difficult for them because of the way they play.

From what I've seen of Brentford this season, their gameplan is to keep it tight and look to counter quickly but Forest will do exactly the same.

With Sean Dyche's side being so deep, they won't leave any space behind and they will also be looking to score on the break.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Brentford's excellent home form has been pivotal in their charge towards a European place this season and they will fancy their chances on Sunday against a Nottingham Forest side with just one win in their last six league games.

The seventh-placed Bees have lost just once at the Gtech Community Stadium all season, with only the current top three of Arsenal (29), Manchester City (26) and Aston Villa (25) earning more home points than the 24 amassed by Keith Andrews' side.

Bees sting late on

With Forest coming off the back of a tiring and troublesome midweek defeat in the Europa League, Brentford will be poised to utilise one of their most effective weapons this campaign – the late goal.

The west Londoners have scored 13 goals from the 75th minute onwards in league fixtures this season – more than any other top-flight club. Conversely, nobody has conceded more than Forest's 12 during the same period of games.

Having struck out on his own as the top Brazilian scorer in any Premier League season with 16, frontman Igor Thiago now has another target in his sights. The last South American player to break the 20-goal barrier in a campaign was Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, who netted 21 in 2018-19.

Dyche despairs at defeat

Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche and his players faced the wrath of their travelling support as a much-changed team slumped to a 1-0 Europa League defeat against Sporting Braga on Thursday.

Dyche put the defeat down to "one minute of madness", with Morgan Gibbs-White's penalty miss compounded by an own goal from Ryan Yates a mere 55 seconds later.

Despite his spot-kick woe on the continent, Gibbs-White's league tally of five makes him the Reds' top scorer, and, encouragingly, he has bagged a goal in each of their last two league away games.

Forest missing Wood

In the absence of last season's top scorer Chris Wood, Forest's failure to find the net is eye-catchingly pronounced – undoubtedly one of the main reasons they find themselves in 17th place, just five points clear of the drop zone.

Only rock-bottom Wolves (15) have scored fewer goals in the league than Forest's 21, and nobody has failed to find the net in more games than the 11 blanks registered by Dyche's men.

One thing the visitors can cling to is Dyche's impressive record against the Bees. The former Burnley and Everton boss has won four of his six Premier League meetings with Brentford, his highest win rate (67%) against any side he's faced more than twice.