Nottingham Forest and Brentford meet in a Premier League opening day clash between two clubs seemingly heading in different directions.
After battling relegation in the two previous years, Forest defied all expectations to almost clinch a Champions League spot last season, eventually finishing seventh. They were bumped from the Europa League into the UEFA Conference League after Crystal Palace's FA Cup win before being controversially reinstated.
Nuno Espirito Santo has lost Anthony Elanga to Newcastle but held onto Morgan Gibbs-White despite heavy interest from Tottenham. He has also added Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus to his squad, with Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee on the way.
Brentford have had far more upheaval, with the iconic Thomas Frank departing and Keith Andrews succeeding him in the dugout. The rookie head coach's task was made even harder by the exits of Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard Ben Mee and Mark Flekken, with Yoane Wissa also looking set to leave to join Elanga at Newcastle.
Jordan Henderson has arrived, as well as his former Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher and attacking midfielder Antoni Milambo. Dango Ouattara also looks set to sign in a club record deal from Bournemouth.
The Sporting News takes you through the latest odds, tips and predictions for this very interesting clash.
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Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford predictions, betting tips and odds
With so much change at Brentford, it is difficult to gauge how they might shape up. Forest, on the other hand, scored just once in a seven game winless pre-season run.
Andrews has lost his main goalscorers, so we think there might just be the one goal here too, with the hosts just coming out on top.
Forest are 11/10 to win this with Sky Bet, with the Bees back at 12/5. The draw is at 9/4.
The Sporting News' Score Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Brentford
- Nottingham Forest to beat Brentford at the City Ground is given a 47.6% probability by Sky Bet.
- Learn more about reading odds, different types of bets and the best online betting sites through our how to bet on football guide
Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford expected lineups
Here's how we think these two sides will line up.
Nottingham Forest lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left)
- Sels (GK) — Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams — Yates, Anderson — Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi — Wood
Injured: Nicolas Gonzalez
Suspended: None
Brentford lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left)
- Kelleher (GK) — Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Henry — Jensen, Henderson — Carvalho, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter — Thiago
Injured: Vitaly Janelt, Kevin Schade
Suspended: None
Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford latest odds, correct score betting
Our 1-0 prediction is at decent odds with Sky Bet, but there are plenty of other possible score lines that are worth looking at for this one. Here's a look at some of the most likely outcomes according to the bookmakers.
*Click odds to bet direct with our selected partners. Odds correct at time of publish.
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Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford team news
- Dan Ndoye in for Elanga is the only real change from last season's Forest starting XI, but more arrivals are coming very soon.
- Andrews will hope club record signing Igor Thiago can step up in attack in the absence of Mbeumo and Wissa. The Brazilian missed much of his debut season through injury, but is fit and ready to start this time around.
- There is a distinct Liverpool old boys look to the Bees, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson likely to be joined by Sepp van der Berg and Fabio Carvalho in the side.
- There is also an Irish tinge to the Bees now, with Kelleher in goal and Nathan Collins named club captain by his compatriot Andrews.
Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford Bet Builder tips
Our bet builder for this game is Forest to win, Under 1.5 goals and Jordan Henderson to get booked. That is currently just over 23/1 with Paddy Power.
You can check out the latest odds and bet direct with our selected partners using the bet builder tool below.
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford: Live stream, TV channel
- Date: Sunday, August 17
- Venue: City Ground
- Time: 2:00 p.m. BST
- TV/Stream: Sky Sports, Sky Go