Nottingham Forest and Brentford will kickstart their 2025-26 Premier League campaigns when they face off at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts exceeded expectations last season to launch an unlikely bid to qualify for the Champions League.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side fell short on the final weekend of the campaign, though they did still secure European football courtesy of a seventh-placed finish.
Replicating last season’s efforts will be easier said than done for the Tricky Trees this time around given that they now have continental commitments to contend with.
Meanwhile, Brentford will enter the first game of the season under new management after Thomas Frank’s seven year stay at the club came to an end, with the Dane making the move across the capital to Tottenham earlier this summer.
Eyebrows were raised when Brentford chose to appoint Keith Andrews as their new manager, with the Irishman being promoted from his role as set-piece coach with the club.
How the bookies view it: Tricky Trees to triumph
The bookmakers expect Nottingham Forest to make a winning start to the season, with a home win priced up at 11/10 on Boylesports.
Brentford are as big as 23/10 on Boylesports to emerge from this contest victorious while a share of the City Ground spoils is also considered unlikely at 12/5 with the same firm.
Head to head: History against the hosts
Nottingham Forest have taken top honours from just one of their six Premier League meetings with Brentford – a 2-0 success at the Gtech Community Stadium last season. It’s worth noting that Brentford came out on top by the same scoreline in last season's corresponding fixture.
Players to watch: Morgan to make his mark?
Typically deployed in the number 10 role, Morgan Gibbs-White offers plenty of attacking threat for Nottingham Forest. The England international is an eye-catching 10/11 on UniBet to register a minimum of one shot on target on Sunday afternoon.
Igor Thiago will be keen to make an impression for Brentford after missing much of last season due to injury. The Brazilian striker is a 9/4 anytime goalscorer option on Boylesports.
Predicted line-ups
Nottingham Forest will be unable to call upon the services of Nicolas Dominguez, with the midfielder facing an extended period on the sidelines following knee surgery.
Vitaly Janelt will miss out for Brentford due to a heel injury, while Yoane Wissa is not expected to feature due to the ongoing issues surrounding his future.
Nottingham Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; N’Doye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Brentford: Flekken; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Henry, Jensen, Yarmolyuk, Damsgaard; Lewis-Potter; Carvalho, Thiago
Anything else catch the eye?
Given how frequently Under 2.5 Goals landed in games involving Nottingham Forest last season, the 10/11 on Boylesports about a repeat on Sunday looks well worthy of support.
This selection would have proven profitable in no fewer than 13 of Forest’s 19 Premier League home games last season – one of which was against Brentford.
Elsewhere, Brentford merit consideration to earn a minimum of five corners here at 4/5 on Boylesports.
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno tends to opt for a safety-first approach, with his team conceding an average of 6.35 corners per game in the Premier League last season.
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