Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Preview

• Draw
• Awoniyi to score

Southampton’s Struggles Continue

Southampton’s winless streak in the Premier League extended to 14 matches (D4, L10) following a frustrating 1-0 defeat away to Newcastle.

The Saints had a one-man advantage when conceding the only goal, making the loss even more bitter. Despite this setback, head coach Russell Martin remained “proud” of his team, attributing the result to a lack of intensity rather than poor performance.

He is optimistic about a confident showing in their upcoming match against Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s Stadium.

Southampton will need to tap into the home momentum they built during their 2023/24 Championship campaign, where five of their last seven wins (including play-offs) were recorded at home.

However, the Saints’ home form in the Premier League during their relegation-bound 2022/23 season was dismal, with just two victories at St Mary’s (D5, L12). One of those 12 losses was against Nottingham Forest, part of a broader W2, L4 head-to-head (H2H) record across all competitions this century.

Nottingham Forest’s Resilient Start

Nottingham Forest began their Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Bournemouth, marking the first time since the 2018/19 season that they avoided an opening day defeat in any league.

However, conceding a late equaliser highlighted a lingering issue from last season: dropping points from winning positions.

Forest took the lead in 19 matches during the previous Premier League campaign but only secured victory in nine of them (D4, L6). Their win percentage of 47.3% when leading was one of the worst in the league, with only Brentford and the relegated trio performing worse.

Forest narrowly avoided relegation last season, posting the fourth-worst record both at home and away.

Nevertheless, this match against Southampton is one they likely circled on their calendar as a prime opportunity for an early season victory.

Last season, Forest collected points from all six Premier League games against newly promoted sides, despite conceding in each of those matches. Notably, they secured away wins at both Sheffield United (3-1) and Burnley (2-1), which bodes well for their trip to St Mary’s.

Key Players to Watch

Ben Brereton Díaz (Southampton):The forward came close to scoring for Southampton last weekend and will be eager to make his mark in this match.

He has fond memories of scoring against Nottingham Forest from his time with Sheffield United, where he opened the scoring in their encounter last season.

Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest): Taiwo Awoniyi has a strong track record against Southampton, having scored three goals across the two head-to-head matches in the 2022/23 season.

His ability to make late impacts in games could be crucial for Forest as they aim to secure a positive result.

Conclusion

As Southampton hosts Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s Stadium, both teams will be looking to secure their first win of the Premier League season.

Southampton is desperate to end their long winless streak, particularly in front of their home fans, while Nottingham Forest aims to build on their opening day draw and improve their away form.

With key players like Ben Brereton Díaz and Taiwo Awoniyi in the spotlight, this match promises to be a tightly contested affair, with both sides eager to gain early-season momentum.

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Southampton v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League