Nottingham Forest-Sheffield United is a match valid for the second day of the Premier League and is played Friday at 20:45: TV, formations, predictions.
The second day of Premier League 2023-24 opens with what is likely to be a direct clash to avoid relegation to the Championship. Nottingham Forest managed to keep their category despite a troubled league to say the least, relying almost exclusively on the field factor.
The roster of the Tricky Trees, who returned to the top flight after an absence of more than 20 years, was literally turned upside down in the last summer market session. A decision that, however, paid off, allowing coach Steve Cooper – several times finished on the gridiron – to count on a team that was competitive (albeit with all its limitations) and up to the task. This time, however, there has been no revolution but only a few targeted interventions: from Manchester United came winger Elanga, while in attack Cooper can rely on an experienced player like Chris Wood. The debut was not the best, but scoring at the home of Arsenal, fresh from their success in the Community Shield, was a somewhat daunting task. However, Forest avoided the embarkation, reopening the match with ten minutes left with Awoniyi (2-1) and putting fear into Mikel Arteta’s team. Now the return to the City Ground, which last season proved to be a veritable fortress.
It will be crucial not to commit any missteps against a fierce direct competitor like Sheffield United, back in the Premier League after two years of purgatory.
Basham
Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades last year shone in the Championship, finishing in second place with 91 in 46 games and gaining direct promotion with full merit. Upstairs, however, everything changes and so far the red-and-whites do not seem equipped for a quiet championship, far from it. The buying campaign for now has not taken off, with the club likely to wait until the last days of the market to sort out the roster. In their first official outing against Crystal Palace, meanwhile, the Blades did not excite, surrendering narrowly (0-1) to Roy Hodgson’s men.
The Prediction
The Forest last year built salvation in front of their home crowd, even taking important scalps at the City Ground. Right now Cooper’s men objectively have something more than Sheffield United, which should come out of this direct clash defeated. We do not expect a spectacular match.
The probable lineups of Nottingham Forest-Sheffield United
- NOTTINGHAM FOREST (3-4-3): Turner; Boly, Worrall, McKenna; Aurier, Yates, Mangala, Ola Aina; Danilo, Johnson, Gibbs-White.
- SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Basham, Norwood, Osborn, Lowe; Traoré, Osula.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-0
