Sean Dyche expressed his satisfaction after Nottingham Forest secured a 2-0 victory over Porto in the Europa League. This marked Dyche's first match as manager, following his appointment earlier this week.
The win at City Ground was Forest's first in any competition since August 17 and their first major European triumph since defeating Lyon in November 1995.
Forest's focus now shifts to the Premier League, where they face a challenging away game against Bournemouth on Sunday. Under Dyche, Forest has already seen three different permanent managers this season, following Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou. This is the earliest point in a Premier League season that a team has had three different permanent managers.
Bournemouth aims to maintain their strong start to the season despite a recent 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace. Eli Kroupi scored twice in the first half, and Ryan Christie's late goal seemed to secure a win for Bournemouth. However, Jean-Philippe Mateta completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, earning Palace a draw.
The Cherries have been bolstered by summer signings, particularly full-back Adrien Truffert. Truffert is thriving in the Premier League's demanding environment. "It's one of the best leagues," he said. "I imagined it would suit me in terms of intensity and repetitive effort. "
Instant impact.pic.twitter.com/qGaj3uCccR Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 23, 2025
Antoine Semenyo is a key player for Bournemouth, having contributed to nine goals this season with six goals and three assists. Only Erling Haaland has been involved in more Premier League goals. Semenyo has also scored in his last two matches against Forest and will aim to challenge Dyche's defence.
For Nottingham Forest, Igor Jesus could play an important role as Chris Wood remains doubtful due to injury. Jesus scored his first goal at City Ground recently and is currently tied as the top scorer in the Europa League with three goals.
Match Prediction
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last ten league encounters with Forest (W6 D4) since losing both Championship meetings during their 2014-15 promotion season. They are also on a seven-game unbeaten streak in the top flight (W4 D3), which is currently the longest ongoing run.
Forest have struggled away from home against Bournemouth, winning just once in their last eleven visits (D3 L7). Their last victory came in August 2014 during a Championship match. Currently winless in seven top-flight games (D2 L5), they hope for positive momentum under Dyche.
Opta Win Probability
| Bournemouth | Draw | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|
| 56.3% | 22.6% | 21.1% |
Bournemouth holds a statistical edge with a 56.3% chance of winning according to Opta predictions, while Nottingham Forest stands at 21.1%. A draw is given a probability of 22.6%, reflecting Bournemouth's strong form and historical advantage over Forest.
