Premier League Club-By-Club Predictions: After a breakthrough 2024-25, can Nottingham Forest find a way to stay in the top-half?

It’s not all that often that bottom-half clubs find their way into the top-half of the Premier League. Nottingham Forest did just that in 2024-25, but can they avoid the fall-off and challenge for Europe once again?

(Image Credit to Carl Recine/Getty Images)

After being stuck in the bottom half for their first few seasons back, Aston Villa proved that they were not only able to fight for top-half spots but they are also able to fight for European places consistently. 

After three seasons in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest is clearly following in their example. Like Villa’s breakthrough in 2022-23, Nottingham Forest broke through the mid-table battles and got into the European picture after only being promoted a handful of seasons prior. 

But can they maintain their place in the top seven in a similar fashion to Aston Villa? Or was last season a flash in the pan?

What Noah says:

2024-25 can easily be seen as a breakthrough for Nottingham Forest. After being in a relegation battle for 2022-23 and 2023-24, 2024-25 saw Nottingham Forest surge to seventh in the table, granting the team a spot in the Europa Conference League playoffs (this was recently upgraded to a Europa League berth after Crystal Palace was found guilty of club ownership breaches). Forest also found themselves briefly in the title fight before late slip-ups saw them fall in the Premier League table. 

The goal for Nottingham Forest this season is to maintain their Premier League place while competing in Europe. Their first three games should bring some encouragement in achieving that aim, as Forest is set to kick off 2025-26 against Brentford, Crystal Palace, and West Ham. However, the tests begin for Forest in September, as the club is scheduled to play Arsenal, Newcastle, and Chelsea as part of a six-game stretch that takes the club to the beginning of November, when they play Manchester United. A game against Liverpool sandwiches two other November fixtures against Leeds United and Brighton, and a relaxed December sees Forest take on Spurs and Manchester City as part of a six-game stretch to close out 2025. 

Forest’s 2026 Premier League stretch kicks off with Aston Villa and Arsenal making up two of the club’s January encounters, while Liverpool and Manchester City feature in February and March, respectively. Following this, four of Forest’s final nine Premier League games come against European opposition. 

If Forest can take advantage of their matches against non-European opponents, there is a good chance they could remain in the European places. However, that might just entail winning almost all of those games, which would be incredibly hard to do. Considering the wealth of experience acquired last season, I do see Forest hanging around the European places, partially achieving their goal of maintaining their place in the Premier League table while succeeding in Europe. 

Projected finish: 7th

What Ellie says:

Nottingham Forest was very close to a European spot for this season after a very successful 24/25 season, where they jumped up to 7th in the league. They will be eager to improve and make Europe for next season.

They start the season at home against Brentford, and then away at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace. Nuno Espirito Santo has his work cut out if he aims to qualify in Europe and take Forest to the next level. Morgan Gibbs-White will be a crucial part of their midfield this season, controlling the field from the centre alongside the captain, Ryan Yates.

I believe they will have another strong season but just fall short of European Football in 25/26 without any major mid-year transfers.

Projected finish: 7th

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Article written by Noah Guttman and Ellie Swain