Match Overview

The third-round Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and West Ham is scheduled for August 31 at the City Ground stadium. Here’s our comprehensive forecast, odds, and statistics for the Nottingham Forest vs West Ham encounter.

Nottingham Forest Outlook

Recent Performance

Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad has accumulated 4 points after two matches played. In the opening round, the club secured a convincing 3-1 victory at home against Brentford, followed by a 1-1 draw away to Crystal Palace. Over their last six Premier League fixtures, Forest has suffered only one defeat (against Chelsea), claiming two wins and three draws. Heading into the third matchday, the team currently sits in 5th place.

• Both teams scored in 5 of Nottingham Forest’s last 6 league games.
• In their last five home Premier League matches, the club has secured only 1 victory (alongside 1 draw and 3 losses).
• Nottingham Forest has failed to score more than one goal in 6 of their last 8 home Premier League fixtures.

Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)*

Matz Sels – Ola Aina, Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Neco Williams – Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare – Dan Ndoye, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood.

West Ham United Overview

Recent Performance

After their initial two matches of the new championship, the London club finds itself at the bottom of the league table. Graham Potter’s side started with two significant defeats: a 0-3 loss away to Sunderland and a crushing 1-5 defeat at home to Chelsea. Their goal difference stands at a concerning 1:8. Notably, West Ham has never conceded 8 goals after the first two rounds in their history in England’s top flight.

• The club has achieved only 2 victories in their last 13 league matches (4 draws and 7 defeats).
• Both teams scored in 8 of West Ham’s last 10 Premier League games.
• At least 3 goals were scored in 4 of the team’s last 5 away Premier League matches.

West Ham United Predicted Lineup (5-3-2)*

Mads Hermansen – Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, El-Hadji Malik Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nayef Aguerd – James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta – Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Füllkrug.

Referee Spotlight

Official in Charge: Craig Pawson

Craig Pawson (England)

Referee Statistics

Matches officiated – 23 (Premier League, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 96;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.1;

Red cards shown – 4;

Average fouls per match – 23;

Penalties awarded – 22%.

Match Prediction: Nottingham Forest vs West Ham

Analysis and Rationale

Graham Potter appears to be the primary candidate for an early dismissal among Premier League managers. His team has shown a distinct lack of preparation for the new season. West Ham’s defense has been shockingly poor, conceding not only 5 goals to a top club like Chelsea but also 3 goals to Sunderland, a team that typically struggles to score more than 1.5 goals per game even in the Championship. It’s improbable that much will change in a week, leading me to predict that the Londoners will concede at least two goals in this fixture as well.

Nottingham Forest has started the championship quite well. The team promptly entered the top five, largely due to their strong offensive play, scoring 4 goals. I believe Nuno Espírito Santo’s side will continue to collect points and challenge opposing goalkeepers, but it’s unlikely they’ll keep a clean sheet – the club has conceded in 10 consecutive Premier League matches. Additionally, it’s worth noting that in five previous head-to-head Premier League encounters, at least 3 goals were scored on four occasions.

Final Prediction

My final prediction is – “Total Goals Over 2.5”

Prediction Author

Author: Oleksandr Oleksenko

Note on Lineups

* The starting lineup for each team is based on their last match in this tournament.