Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest Prediction for 26 October 2025 - Football

🔊 Can Sean Dyche secure his first Premier League win at the helm of Nottingham Forest following their Europa League triumph? The task is a tough one for the newly appointed manager. The "Tricky Trees" face a trip to the Vitality Stadium to take on Bournemouth, who currently sit in the top four of the league. Moreover, the "Cherries" are on a six-match unbeaten run. How will this clash between the league's basement and summit end? Our editorial team offers an insightful prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 Since both teams returned to the top tier of English football, three full seasons have passed. During this period, they have faced each other six times. Nottingham have yet to taste victory, with Bournemouth claiming three wins. The other three encounters ended in draws, each with a 1-1 scoreline.

Bournemouth Team Overview

After their opening defeat to Liverpool (2-4), Bournemouth have turned their fortunes around, embarking on a points-gathering spree. Andoni Iraola's side are now on a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, with their attacking prowess noticeably improving. While they netted six goals in the first four matches, they've managed eight in the subsequent games. The attacking unit deserves praise for their finishing, as their total xG over this period was just 5.2. This expected goals figure might have been even lower if not for their recent thrilling 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace.

One standout performer for Bournemouth in the match against Crystal Palace was their summer signing, Elie Junior Krupi. Andoni Iraola discovered the French youngster in Ligue 2. Last season, while playing for Lorient, the 19-year-old forward emerged as the top scorer in the minor league with 22 goals. In the current Premier League campaign, Krupi had been limited to substitute appearances until the 8th round, but he made a mark with his debut goal in the 7th round after just 10 minutes on the pitch. This earned him a spot in the starting lineup against the "Glaziers," where he exceeded all expectations by scoring a brace.

Nottingham Forest Team Overview

Whether Nottingham Forest's struggles have truly ended remains to be seen. However, there is a glimmer of hope for the fans. The team finally clinched their first victory in 10 matches. This triumph is symbolized by their newly appointed head coach, Sean Dyche. Unlike his predecessor Ange Postecoglou, the English manager opted for a pragmatic approach, securing three points in the Europa League against Porto (2-0). This win is even more valuable considering it was the first defeat of the season for the "Dragons." The match at City Ground was evenly contested, but it was the visitors' defensive lapses that led to two penalties. Now, the challenge is to carry this result, even with such straightforward methods, into the Premier League, where the Reds hover just above the relegation zone with five points.

Igor Jesus, after scoring a penalty against Porto, now shares the lead in the Europa League's top scorer race with three goals. In Nottingham, he is also the top scorer with five goals this season, although he has yet to find the net in the Premier League. However, the standout performer against the Dragons was Neco Williams. The left-back contributed effectively both in attack and defense. The former Liverpool player particularly impressed at the back, winning 15 duels and 7 out of 13 ground challenges.

Latest news

Bournemouth

🎙 Bournemouth's head coach praised Elie Junior Krupi following his brace against Crystal Palace. "His confidence has made him a crucial player for us. Despite his young age, he handles the role of a key player exceptionally well. I'm happy for him," said Andoni Iraola.

❌ David Brooks returned from international duty with Wales nursing a hamstring injury. Evanilson also missed the match against Crystal Palace due to a calf strain. Enes Unal has been sidelined since the start of the year with an ACL tear.

Nottingham Forest

🎙 Nottingham Forest's head coach shared his thoughts on the team's victory over Porto in the Europa League. "We only had two days with the team. They were very intense days. The players listened a lot and absorbed everything. They executed exactly as I asked. As a coach, that's very gratifying. But this is just the beginning; there's still much ahead. But it's a good start," said Sean Dyche.

❌ Ola Aina remains sidelined with a hamstring injury since the first international break. Chris Wood faces a similar issue, missing the game against Porto, though his injury isn't too severe. Oleksandr Zinchenko experienced a recurrence of a muscle injury, leading to his substitution after halftime in the last Europa League round.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by the main referee Samuel Barrott, who averages 4.4 yellow cards over his last 20 Premier League fixtures. Now, let's delve into Sean Dyche's football style. It's primarily a straightforward vertical game with intense physicality, as evidenced by four yellow cards in the match against Porto. Matches involving Ange Postecoglou's Nottingham have seen no fewer than 4.6 cards in their last five outings. Bournemouth, too, isn't known for their peaceful play, averaging 2.2 cautions over the same span. Our prediction: total yellow cards over four.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

If Ange Postecoglou has brought anything valuable to Nottingham's game, it's creativity in attack. Yes, their finishing has been lacking, but in the last five matches, his team has generated chances worth a total of 8.59 xG. Sean Dyche will simplify the play, but the quality of the players should maintain the standard. Moreover, the Englishman's vertical style is perfect for Chris Wood and the dynamic wings featuring Dan Ndoye and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Bournemouth are strong in attack but far from flawless in defense, conceding at a rate similar to teams in the lower half of the Premier League table (11 goals). We believe there's a high probability that both teams will score (yes).

🚩 Corner Prediction

Once again, let's talk about the revamped Nottingham Forest. Sean Dyche's style, focused on vertical play with quick flanks, is likely to yield results not only at the opponent's goal but also at corner flags. Yes, we didn't see many set-pieces in the match against Porto, but we saw plenty of winger action. We believe they'll make their presence known again, including at the edge of the field. For instance, in their last five matches, Forest have averaged 5.2 corners per game. The upper limit for their upcoming game is criminally low, making it a smart choice to select Nottingham Forest total corners over 3.5.

It's too early to talk about Nottingham Forest's recovery from their crisis, so let's focus on Bournemouth's strengths instead. We've previously noted that the Cherries have improved their scoring throughout the season, and unexpected heroes have emerged in their attack. Antoine Semenyo remains the standout player with nine goal contributions in eight Premier League matches (6 goals, 3 assists). However, Eli Junior Kroupi has made a surprising and impressive entrance, quickly becoming the team's second top scorer in just two games.

Looking back at the last head-to-head between Bournemouth and Nottingham, it ended in a thrashing (5-0) at Vitality Stadium. It's unlikely Sean Dyche will allow such a humiliation again, but Bournemouth are certainly capable of securing a 3-1 victory this time around. Given these circumstances, a bet on Bournemouth's total goals over 1.5 seems reasonable.