Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips

Nottingham Forest round off their Premier League campaign with a testing assignment at the City Ground, welcoming high-flying Bournemouth on the final day. With C. Pawson appointed as referee and a full house expected in Nottingham, this clash pitches a Forest side still looking over their shoulder against visitors pushing to cement European football.

Forest come into matchday 38 sitting 16th with 43 points from 37 games. Safety is all but assured, but their negative goal difference and inconsistent campaign mean there is still pride and prize money to play for. Bournemouth arrive at the City Ground in sixth place on 56 points, already in the “Promotion - Europa League (League phase)” zone and looking to lock in that continental spot with one last big performance.

Recent Premier League form and the head-to-head record both tilt towards the visitors, making this a fascinating contest for those seeking a Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth prediction or assessing Premier League betting tips on the final day.

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth Key Stats

• Nottingham Forest sit 16th with 43 points and a -3 goal difference after 37 matches (47 scored, 50 conceded).
• Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Forest, including a 2-0 home win on 26 October 2025 in the Premier League.
• Forest average 1.3 goals scored and 1.4 conceded per league game this season, while Bournemouth average 1.5 scored and 1.4 conceded.

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth — Tale of the Tape

• Position: 16 vs 6
• Points: 43 vs 56
• Goals For: 47 vs 57
• Goals Against: 50 vs 53
• Clean Sheets: 9 vs 11

The season record shows a clear gap between the sides. Forest’s 43 points from 37 games reflect a campaign spent in the lower reaches, with 11 wins, 10 draws and 16 defeats. Their goal difference of -3 (47 for, 50 against) underlines a side that has often been competitive but too frequently porous at the back. At home, Forest have been patchy: just 4 wins from 18, with 19 goals scored and 22 conceded at the City Ground.

Bournemouth, by contrast, have put together an impressively resilient season. Sixth place with 56 points from 37 matches, and only 7 defeats all year, speaks to their consistency. They have scored 57 and conceded 53, and crucially, their away record is strong: 6 wins, 7 draws and 5 defeats on the road, with 28 goals both scored and conceded. With 11 clean sheets to Forest’s 9, the visitors also edge the defensive metrics, even if both teams average 1.4 goals against per game.

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth Key Matchups

M. Gibbs-White vs E. Kroupi

Morgan Gibbs-White has been Forest’s standout attacking force this season. The midfielder has 14 league goals and 4 assists in 36 appearances, starting 34 of those and logging 3,020 minutes. He has taken 57 shots with 31 on target and created 47 key passes from 1,174 total passes at 81% accuracy. His ability to carry the ball is evident in 59 dribble attempts with 28 successes, and he draws plenty of contact with 40 fouls won.

For Bournemouth, Eli Junior Kroupi has emerged as a major threat, with 13 goals in 32 appearances, despite starting only 20 times and playing 1,617 minutes. He has 31 shots and 21 on target, plus 21 key passes from 431 passes at 75% accuracy. Kroupi’s dribbling (34 attempts, 14 successful) and his two penalties scored add another dimension. This duel pits Forest’s creative hub against Bournemouth’s efficient finisher; whichever player imposes himself more in the final third could heavily influence the scoreline.

N. Williams vs Álex Jiménez

On the defensive side, Neco Williams has been a key figure for Forest. The defender has made 36 appearances (35 starts) and played 3,116 minutes, contributing 2 goals and 3 assists from the back. His work rate is reflected in 94 tackles, 17 blocks and 45 interceptions, along with 377 duels contested and 211 won. Going forward, he has 26 shots (18 on target), 1,291 passes with 37 key passes at 82% accuracy, and 69 dribble attempts with 30 successes. His aggressive style also shows in 6 yellow cards and 1 red.

For Bournemouth, Álex Jiménez has combined defensive solidity with attacking thrust. In 31 appearances (26 starts, 2,330 minutes), he has 1 goal, 12 shots (4 on target), and 868 passes with 14 key passes at 80% accuracy. Defensively, he has produced 69 tackles, 11 blocks and 27 interceptions, winning 141 of 277 duels. With 10 yellow cards, Jiménez is also a disciplinary risk. The battle between these two full-backs, both heavily involved in duels and dribbles, will shape the wide areas and could tilt the territorial battle.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

Recent head-to-head history strongly favours Bournemouth, who have consistently found ways to get results against Forest across both the Premier League and Championship. Across the most recent 10 meetings listed below, Bournemouth have recorded multiple wins, with Forest managing only a handful of draws and the odd victory.

• 26 October 2025: Bournemouth 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
• 25 January 2025: Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
• 17 August 2024: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bournemouth (Premier League)
• 4 February 2024: Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
• 23 December 2023: Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth (Premier League)

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth Prediction

Analysis points to a contest where Bournemouth’s superior league position, stronger away record and dominant head-to-head trend give them the edge, but not overwhelmingly so. Forest’s recent league form line of “LDWWW” suggests a late-season uptick, and at home they have often kept games tight. Bournemouth’s form string of “DWWDW” underlines their current resilience and ability to avoid defeat.

The predictions data leans towards the visitors with a 45% chance assigned to both Bournemouth and the draw, and only 10% to a Forest win, backed by an explicit “Win or draw” comment for the away side. That suggests Bournemouth are more likely to control key phases, with Forest relying on moments from Gibbs-White and set pieces. Given both teams’ goals averages around 1.3–1.5 for and 1.4 against, a relatively open but not chaotic game is expected.

Predicted Score: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Bournemouth

Nottingham Forest League Form

LDWWW

Bournemouth League Form

DWWDW

Nottingham Forest Possible Starting Lineup

A. Gunn (GK); N. Williams, Morato, Murillo, L. Netz (Defenders); N. Domínguez, I. Sangaré, M. Gibbs-White, C. Hudson-Odoi, J. McAtee (Midfielders); C. Wood (Forward).

Stats suggest Forest are most comfortable in a 4-2-3-1 structure, which has been used in 29 league matches. That shape allows Gibbs-White to operate as the central creator behind a focal striker such as Chris Wood, with width provided by Callum Hudson-Odoi and James McAtee. Neco Williams’ attacking output from full-back adds another route forward, though his disciplinary record is a risk. With no injury list available, Forest appear to have scope to field a strong side, aiming to balance their attacking flair with improved defensive organisation.

Bournemouth Possible Starting Lineup

Đ. Petrović (GK); Álex Jiménez, M. Senesi, A. Truffert, B. Diakité (Defenders); T. Adams, L. Cook, R. Christie, M. Tavernier, E. Kroupi (Midfielders); A. Semenyo (Forward).

Bournemouth have leaned heavily on a 4-2-3-1 this season, deploying it in 35 league games. That system maximises the influence of creators like Ryan Christie and Marcus Tavernier, while allowing Kroupi to drift between the lines in support of a central attacker such as Antoine Semenyo, who has 10 goals and 3 assists from midfield. At the back, Jiménez’s high-volume defensive work and overlapping runs are key, though his 10 yellow cards underline the need for discipline in a potentially high-stakes away fixture.

Nottingham Forest Team News

No significant absences reported.

Bournemouth Team News

No significant absences reported.

Injuries & Suspensions

Nottingham Forest:

• None reported.

Bournemouth:

• None reported.

Betting Tips: Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth

Exactly 3 distinct tips from different markets:

• Result Tip: Back Bournemouth Draw No Bet. With Bournemouth given a 45% chance to win and a “Win or draw” recommendation, plus a much stronger league position and away record, siding with the visitors while covering the draw looks sensible. Bournemouth are generally priced around 2.00–2.17 in the 1X2 market (e.g. 2.00 at Betfair, 2.17 at 1xBet), indicating slight favouritism that aligns with the probabilities.
• Goals Tip: Over 2.5 Goals. Both teams average around 1.3–1.5 goals scored and 1.4 conceded per game, and recent head-to-heads have produced scorelines like 5-0, 3-2 and 2-3. The attacking profiles of Gibbs-White, Kroupi and Semenyo, combined with neither defence being watertight, support a goals angle. Look to mainstream books such as Bet365 or Unibet for competitive over/under prices alongside their 1X2 lines (e.g. Bet365 listing 3.25 home, 3.80 draw, 2.05 away).
• Value Tip: Anytime Goalscorer – M. Gibbs-White. With 14 league goals and 4 assists, plus 57 shots and 31 on target, Gibbs-White is Forest’s primary goal threat and penalty taker (1 scored from 1). Even if Bournemouth are favoured, Forest’s strong recent scoring form (15 goals in their last five according to the last-five metrics) makes their playmaker a live scoring candidate. Use the away win prices around 2.05–2.17 (e.g. Pinnacle 2.12, Marathonbet 2.13) as context that the market may slightly undervalue Forest’s attacking output, enhancing Gibbs-White’s anytime price as a value angle.

How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth

Broadcast coverage varies by region. General guide:

• Spain: Movistar LaLiga
• UK: Premier Sports
• Australia: beIN Sports
• India: FanCode
• MENA: beIN Sports
• South America: ESPN / Disney+
• Africa: SuperSport

Odds are accurate at the time of writing and subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.