Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest Prediction - Premier League: An opportunity for the Black Cats

The match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest in the late round of the Premier League is not just a points contest, but also a test of character for both teams in the final stages of the season. With the home advantage at Stadium of Light, Sunderland is considered the favorite against a Nottingham Forest side still struggling to find stability.

Context and ranking position

Currently, Sunderland sits in 11th place with 46 points after 33 matches. The team, nicknamed "The Black Cats," has shown a fairly consistent performance with 12 wins and 10 draws. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest is ranked 16th with 36 points, just a narrow distance from the relegation zone. The visitors need to accumulate more points to secure their survival in the league.

Analysis of form and playing style

Sunderland's form in their last five matches has been quite positive, with three wins and two losses. Notably, the home team's manager often plays very confidently at Stadium of Light, where they have won eight of their 12 matches this season. Sunderland's playing style is based on balance, scoring an average of 1.1 goals per game, but their defense still has weaknesses, conceding 1.2 goals per game.

Conversely, Nottingham Forest are enjoying an impressive unbeaten run with two wins and three draws in their last five matches. However, Forest's biggest problem is their inability to finish matches effectively, as they tend to draw too often. Statistics show that the visitors' defense is quite weak, having conceded 45 goals since the start of the season, an average of 1.4 goals per game.

History of confrontations and balance of power.

In their last five encounters, Sunderland have held a slight advantage. In the first leg in September 2025, Sunderland secured a narrow 1-0 victory away at Nottingham Forest. Matches between the two teams tend to be low-scoring affairs, with pragmatism being the primary focus.

Regarding personnel, both teams are facing serious injury problems:

• Sunderland:JT Bi (ankle injury), R. Mundle (hamstring injury), and B. Traore (knee injury) are unavailable. N. Angulo's participation is uncertain due to a muscle problem.
• Nottingham Forest:The defense suffered a major blow with W. Boly, John Victor, and N. Savona all absent due to knee injuries. Striker C. Hudson-Odoi was also unavailable.

Tactical analysis and predictions

With home advantage and a favorable head-to-head record, Sunderland are likely to take control of the game. However, the absence of key players like Mundle and Traore could affect their attacking potential. Nottingham Forest, despite missing several key players, will still rely on their counter-attacking style of play that has kept them unbeaten in their last five matches.

Experts predict Sunderland have a 45% chance of winning and a 45% chance of the match ending in a draw. This is expected to be a tight match with few goals scored. A scenario where Sunderland secure at least one point at Stadium of Light is highly probable.

Team lineup updated at 01:30 on 25/04/2026

Official lineup

Sunderland

Diagram: 4-2-3-1

CoachRegis Le Bris

Starting lineup:

• 22. Robin Roefs (G)
• 20. Nordi Mukiele (D)
• 5. Daniel Ballard (D)
• 15. Omar Alderete (D)
• 32. Hume's Tom (D)
• 34. Granit Xhaka (M)
• 27. Noah Sadiki (M)
• 11. Chris Rigg (M)
• 19. Habib Diarra (M)
• 28. Enzo Le Fée (M)
• 9. Brian Brobbey (F)

Substitutes:

• 31. Melker Ellborg
• 3. Dennis Cirkin
• 17. Reinildo Mandava
• 6. Lutsharel Geertruida
• 13. Luke O'Nien
• 7. Chemsdine Talbi
• 50. Harrison Jones
• 12. Eliezer Mayenda
• 18. Wilson Isdor

Nottingham Forest

Diagram: 4-4-2

CoachVitor Pereira

Starting lineup:

• 26. Matz Sels (G)
• 34. Ola Aina (D)
• 31. Nikola Milenković (D)
• 23. Jair (D)
• 3. Neco Williams (D)
• 21. Omari Hutchinson (M)
• 6. Ibrahim Sangaré (M)
• 8. Elliot Anderson (M)
• 10. Morgan Gibbs-White (M)
• 19. Igor Jesus (F)
• 11. Chris Wood (F)

Substitutes:

• 27. Stefan Ortega
• 4. Morato
• 25. Luca Netz
• 14. Dan Ndoye
• 16. Nicolás Domínguez
• 22. Ryan Yates
• 24. James McAtee
• 29. Dilane Bakwa
• 9. Taiwo Awoniyi