Key Facts
- Nottingham Forest is unbeaten in six competitive matches and has scored in five of those games, most recently in a 1-0 win over Porto thanks to the in-form Morgan Gibbs-White.
- Forest has conceded just one goal in its last five league matches, highlighting its defensive solidity—an advantage against a Burnley side lacking reliable finishing.
- Burnley comes into this match on a five-game winless streak and will be without Cullen, Hannibal, Amdouni, Roberts, and Beyer, meaning they are missing key players in central midfield and defense.
- In the last four head-to-head matches, none saw more than 3.5 goals, and the second halves were particularly low-scoring, suggesting a controlled, defensive game.
- Forest is just three points above the relegation zone, so every home win must be fought for under pressure, and motivation is high.
- The availability of Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi is in doubt; if Wood is missing as the main striker, Forest loses a key option in the penalty area and in front of goal.
Reaching the Europa League semifinals has given Nottingham Forest a major boost and serves as the most exciting starting point for this preview: Morgan Gibbs-White scored early in the 1-0 win over Porto, a lead the team managed to hold onto despite an early red card. The result demonstrated mental resilience during an emotionally charged week surrounding Elliot Anderson. In addition, Forest is unbeaten in its last six competitive matches and has scored in each of its last five games, often as early as the first half. The main focus remains on recovery ahead of the clash at the City Ground; furthermore, the availability of Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi is in doubt. In the league, Vítor Pereira’s team is just three points above the relegation zone, adding extra tension to the match.
- Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
- Date and time: April 19, 2026, 3:00 PM
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 33)
A key question, however, remains whether Burnley will score at all: Forest has conceded just one goal in their last five matches. Should Pereira get his team off to a fast start again, the larger handicap in favor of the home side also speaks against an away team that is thin on the bench.
Nottingham Form & Record Check
Nottingham Forest showed character against Porto: after the early red card, the game lost momentum, but Morgan Gibbs-White’s early goal was enough for the win.
The team remained calm even during an emotionally charged week and appears to be in good form—unbeaten in six competitive matches, scoring in five of them. The strain of international competition and the recovery of some key players remain a concern; additionally, Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi are questionable.
Predicted lineup Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Matz Sels; Ola Aina, Nikola Milenković, Murillo (doubtful), Neco Williams; Ibrahim Sangaré, Elliot Anderson; Morgan Gibbs-White; Igor Jesus; expected up front: Morgan Gibbs-White behind Igor Jesus. If Murillo isn’t fit, Morato is the obvious alternative. John Victor, Jair Cunha, Willy Boly, and Nicolò Savona remain sidelined. Burnley is also likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1, with a defensive-minded central midfield duo, tight spacing between the lines, and support for the striker primarily coming from the attacking trio behind him. Due to the absences of Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Hannibal, and Zeki Amdouni, Scott Parker could stack the midfield even deeper and aim for more stability in the defensive line; Axel Tuanzebe has recently been listed as doubtful and could necessitate last-minute adjustments.
Burnley Form & Record Check
Burnley is coming off a 0-2 home loss to Brighton. Scott Parker’s team kept pace at times, but showed too little presence in the final third and conceded the decisive goals late in the game. They have gone five games without a win; only one point during this stretch came from a high-scoring draw against Bournemouth. Burnley scored in just one of those five games. The absences of Josh Cullen, Hannibal, and Zeki Amdouni significantly limit options in midfield and on offense, and injured defenders leave little room for error at the City Ground.
FC Burnley projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Scott Parker is likely to once again rely on a compact back four, a defensive-minded double pivot, and three attacking midfielders behind a lone striker.
Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Hannibal, and Zeki Amdouni are expected to be out; Axel Tuanzebe is doubtful. This could allow FC Burnley to drop deeper in the center and focus even more on defensive stability.
Nottingham – Burnley Head-to-Head & Statistics
Recent matches between the two teams have been close: the last four encounters resulted in two draws, one win for Nottingham Forest, and one win for Burnley; all games saw fewer than 3.5 goals. The season’s matchup in September 2025 ended 1-1. It is noteworthy that Burnley has scored in each of the last four matchups—Forest has not managed a clean sheet in this fixture during that period. Additionally, the second halves have been notably quiet: no game has seen more than one goal after halftime, suggesting a controlled match rather than a frantic spectacle.
