Bournemouth v Nottm Forest - Championship: Big Game Preview

bet365 News Team Published: Sep 12 2022 10:02

The race to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League reaches fever pitch on Tuesday night as Bournemouth host Nottingham Forest at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries can secure a return to the top-flight with a victory, while a win for Forest could see them leapfrog their rivals on goal difference.

Bournemouth recorded a 2-1 win over Forest back in August at the City Ground, but the Reds are a different beast now under boss Steve Cooper.

Forest have won four games on the spin ahead of Tuesday's tie, while Scott Parker's Bournemouth are unbeaten in six in the second tier.

Bournemouth are 13/10 to win, the draw is priced at 23/10, while Forest are 11/5 to secure all three points on their trip to the South Coast.

Nerves set to play their part

The permutations are straightforward on Tuesday night, but that does not mean that there will be any less drama on what is a huge evening in the Championship.

A win for the hosts means they return to the bright lights of the Premier League, while a defeat gives Forest the advantage in the race for automatic promotion with just one game remaining.

Cooper has worked his magic since moving to the City Ground, with no other manager picking up more points since September. Forest were bottom when he arrived, and he has won 25 of his 40 games at the helm, a quite remarkable achievement.

After a shaky few weeks, Bournemouth appear to have steadied the ship under Parker, and they are unbeaten at home since February.

Under 2.5 goals would have landed in five of their last eight at the Vitality Stadium and, at 8/11, it should give punters a run for their money.

Forest have conceded two in their previous five, while they have only let in three in five on their travels.

With both sides desperate to pick up three points, it is probable that they will cancel each other out and the final scoreline looks likely to be very close.

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Forest aiming to make life tough

The visitors' upturn in fortunes has been the story of the season in the Championship, with Cooper's side also able to pull off a shock FA Cup win against Arsenal.

Cooper, the former Swansea City boss, managed to enjoy a 5-1 victory over his old club last weekend, and that was a result that caught the eye, especially with Swansea in decent form themselves.

While the Cherries are in good form at home, they have drawn three of their previous four and Forest's recent win over Fulham at Craven Cottage proves they can handle the pressure.

Forest are available at 4/7 in the double chance market and they will feel they can leave with a share of the spoils considering their recent displays.

Johnson to lead the way for Forest

Injuries have derailed striker Lewis Grabban's season on occasions this season, with the Forest talisman only making 32 appearances out of a possible 44.

He is usually the shining light in Forest's attack, but a hamstring injury means he is likely to watch from the bench on Tuesday night, however, Forest fans will not be panicking, though, as youngster Brennan Johnson has stepped up and filled the void.

The 20-year-old has scored 15 goals so far this season and he has four goals in his last eight appearances in the Championship.

The Wales international can be backed to score any time at 11/4, while he is 8/1 to net the first goal on Tuesday, as he tries to help Forest ruin Bournemouth's promotion party.