Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Prediction and Predicted Lineups: Saints to claim victory on home return?

Newly-promoted Southampton return to St Mary’s Stadium for the first time as a Premier League club in over a year, having sealed promotion from the Championship via the play-offs back in May. 

The Saints will take confidence from an encouraging performance at Newcastle last weekend, having only failed to pick up a point because of a disastrous error by goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. 

Visitors Nottingham Forest also failed to pick up an opening day victory, but were mere minutes from doing so against Bournemouth last weekend. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side ultimately succumbed to a late Antoine Semenyo equaliser at the City Ground. 

Ahead of Saturday’s 3pm clash, we’ve made a prediction for the game, as well as providing our predicted line-ups both teams. 

Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Team News 

The hosts are set to continue without first-choice goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who is likely to return in 2025 once fully recovered from an Achilles injury. 

The likes of Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ross Stewart and Adam Lallana are also doubts for Southampton. 

For Forest, Danilo is the only confirmed absentee, after the midfielder sustained a broken ankle just 15 minutes into last weekend’s season opener. 

Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineups

Southampton (3-5-2): McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Sugawara, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Diaz 

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Boly, Murillo, Toffolo; Yates, Sangare; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood 

Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Score Prediction 

We’re expecting both sides to come out and play as they search for a first victory of the season, but also to cancel each other out in the process, with a 1-1 draw our prediction.