Sean Dyche is not focusing on league standings despite Nottingham Forest's recent success. Under his leadership, Forest has won three consecutive matches, including a 3-0 victory over Malmo in the Europa
League. This win moved them to 16th place in the 36-team standings. In the Premier League, they have defeated Leeds United and Liverpool, lifting them one point above the relegation zone.
Dyche emphasises a game-by-game approach for his team. "The mentality we are trying to build here is one game at a time. I have never lost sight of that," he stated after their recent win. He believes that focusing on each match is crucial rather than constantly checking league tables. The team has set internal goals and is pleased with their progress.
Brighton, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in their last three Premier League games, climbing to sixth place. They recently secured a 2-1 win against Brentford, thanks to a last-minute penalty save by Bart Verbruggen. However, Brighton faces a challenging task as they return to a ground where they suffered a heavy defeat under manager Fabian Hurzeler.
Hurzeler acknowledges the difficulty of facing Forest again, especially given their current form under Dyche. "Impressive. They know how to win games," he remarked about Forest's style of play and experienced players like Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White. Brighton aims to avoid consecutive away losses against Forest for the first time since 1980-1982.
Morgan Gibbs-White could be pivotal for Forest if fit after missing the Europa League match due to injury. He has scored in his last three Premier League appearances and recently became the first Forest player with over 20 goals and assists in the competition.
Key Players
For Brighton, Danny Welbeck is in fine form with seven goals in his last seven league matches. Only Erling Haaland has scored more during this period. Welbeck aims to continue his scoring streak as he enjoys his second-highest scoring season with Brighton.
Despite Opta's prediction favouring Brighton, Forest has won two of their three home games against them in the Premier League, including a 7-0 victory last season. Dyche's side has also won their last two league matches by scoring three goals each time.
Brighton excels at scoring late goals, with eight coming in the final 15 minutes of matches this season—a joint-high with Liverpool. However, only 26% of their points have been earned away from home this season.
Brighton hopes to improve their away form while avoiding back-to-back losses at City Ground for the first time since the early '80s. Meanwhile, Forest looks to maintain their winning momentum under Dyche's guidance as they face Brighton next at home.
