Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth: prediction, H2H and probable lineups — 24.05.2026
One of the matches of the 38th round of the English Championship will take place on Sunday at the City Ground in Nottingham, where the local side Nottingham Forest will host Bournemouth. Here’s our prediction for this clash: the hosts have already secured survival, while the visitors are eyeing a rare chance to finish in the Champions League zone.
Match preview
Nottingham Forest approach the final round with no pressure in the standings: Vítor Pereira’s side have already guaranteed their Premier League status and can afford a calmer finish to the campaign. However, the emotional backdrop is far from perfect — after a five-match winning streak, the Tricky Trees have faded, losing 0-4 to Aston Villa in the Europa League semi-final after a 1-0 home win, then falling 2-3 to Manchester United and drawing another game 1-1.
The squad situation is also a concern for the hosts: Aina and Murillo won’t be rushed back, and Hudson-Odoi, Boly, and Savona all remain unavailable. On a positive note, Dan Ndoye is back training with the squad and could get some minutes off the bench — a vital boost for a team clearly lacking freshness and sharpness in transitional phases as the season winds down.
Bournemouth arrive in Nottingham in a much more fired-up state: Andoni Iraola’s men have already secured a Europa League spot, but theoretically could still catch Liverpool in the race for the Champions League. To do so, the Cherries need not just a win, but a convincing display, and their current form allows them to believe.
In their last five outings, Bournemouth have won four times, and in their previous match drew 1-1 with Manchester City, effectively knocking the Citizens out of the title race. Their away form is particularly impressive: Bournemouth haven’t lost on the road in the Premier League since December, and their last three trips — to Arsenal, Newcastle, and Fulham — all ended in victories.
Probable lineups
- Nottingham Forest: Sels, Morato, Milenković, Netz, Williams, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Domínguez, Hutchinson, Wood, Jesus.
- Bournemouth: Petrovic, Hill, Senesi, Smith, Truffer, Scott, Adams, Ryan, Krupi, Tavernier, Evanilson.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Bournemouth have won six of the last nine head-to-head matches against Nottingham Forest.
- Nottingham have not beaten Bournemouth in official matches since 2015.
- Over 2.5 goals have been scored in five of the last seven matches involving both teams.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest have already achieved their main objective for the season, but the run-in shows the squad has run out of steam and lost their earlier compactness. Missing key defenders, the hosts could struggle to contain Bournemouth, who excel at pace, pressing, and rapid flank transitions.
Bournemouth are more motivated, in better form, and look far more confident away from home than Nottingham do in this late stretch of the season. The hosts still have enough in attack to find the net, but in terms of balance, tempo, and current momentum, the visitors are closer to claiming the win.
