Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest: Preview, Betting Tips, and Team News

Sunderland will host Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light on Friday night as they aim to climb into the top half of the Premier League table.

**Sunderland** The Black Cats suffered a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend and will be eager to bounce back. Despite their recent setback, Sunderland have been one of the season’s surprise packages, sitting just one point outside the top half. A 2-1 victory over rivals Newcastle before the international break and a 1-0 win against Tottenham have bolstered their confidence. They also secured a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture against Forest in September and will hope for a similar result.

**Sunderland Team News** Romaine Mundle remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, but Dan Ballard is expected to return to the starting lineup after recovering from a muscle issue. Granit Xhaka, who has impressed since joining from Arsenal, will anchor the midfield, while Brian Brobbey is likely to retain his place up front despite a recent goal drought.

**Nottingham Forest** Forest delivered a dominant 4-1 win over Wolves last weekend, strengthening their position above the relegation zone. With a five-point cushion, Vitor Pereira’s side are unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions, including a crucial 3-0 victory over Tottenham and a Europa League semi-final qualification after defeating Porto on aggregate.

**Nottingham Forest Team News** Murillo is a doubt after picking up a hamstring injury, while Callum Hudson-Odoi has been ruled out for the season with a quadricep issue. Captain Morgan Gibbs-White, who scored a hat-trick last weekend, will lead the attack, and goalkeeper Matz Sels is set to start.

**Key Factors** - Sunderland won the reverse fixture 1-0 in September. - Forest’s last away win at Sunderland came in December 2017 (1-0 in the Championship). - Forest are unbeaten in seven matches (four wins, three draws). - Sunderland have kept only two clean sheets in their last nine league games. - Gibbs-White has scored 12 goals in all competitions this year, including a recent hat-trick.

**Conclusion** Sunderland will look to recover from their late collapse against Villa, but they face a resurgent Forest side in strong form. With Forest unbeaten in seven games and eager to extend their gap over the relegation zone, this promises to be a tightly contested clash.

**Verdict:** Morgan Gibbs-White over 0.5 shots on target **Best Odds:** 19/20 **Bookmaker:** Dachbet