Follow live coverage as Nottingham Forest face Brentford today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Liverpool look to fend off competition from Arsenal, Manchester City and more.
The race for the Champions League places should also be a compelling battle, with a fifth place possible for English teams. Manchester United’s latest rebuild under Ruben Amorim sets expectations high once more after a dismal season last time out.
Meanwhile, it’s Burnley, Leeds United and Sunderland who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Nottingham Forest FC 3 - 1 Brentford FC
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
16:07The most routine of victories for Nuno’s Forest side, which will surely be pleasing and assure Forest fans that maybe their summer transfer concerns aren’t as well-founded as the manager claims. Wood looks to have picked up exactly where he left off last season, grabbing a typical first-half brace as new signing Ndoye also got on the scoresheet with an excellent header from a Gibbs-White cross to give Forest an imposing 3-0 lead at the break. Anderson was everywhere in midfield for the home side today, capping off a dominant display with a magnificent through ball for Wood’s second as Forest created 1.86xG. Brentford did come back into the game, albeit far too late on, as Thiago slotted home a penalty after Sangare handled the ball. The visitors finished with 1.50xG, but that probably flatters them a little as they were pretty toothless aside from the penalty. Andrews has plenty of questions to answer and problems to solve if they are to beat the drop this season. Brentford host Aston Villa next weekend whilst Forest travel to Crystal Palace in what will be an enthralling game in the capital. That’s all for today, thank you for following and we’ll see you again soon.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:59FULL TIME: NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3-1 BRENTFORD
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:57Onyeka makes a rather agricultural tackle on Yates as he breaks into the final third as jeers ring out around the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:51Yellow Card Aaron Hickey
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:49Substitution Rico Henry Aaron Hickey
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:46Schade bursts down the left and into the box as he knocks the ball past Milenkovic, but the big Serbian is having none of it and shields the ball out of play to avert any danger. Brentford then want a penalty for an alleged push on Thiago in the area, but referee Bankes waves it away
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:45Substitution Morgan Gibbs-White Ryan Yates
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:45That is Thiago's first Premier League goal for Brentford, in his fifth appearance since joining from Club Brugge in 2024. He will need to have an impressive season if he is to help replace the goals of Mbeumo and Wissa.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:41Substitution Dan Ndoye João Pedro Ferreira Silva
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:41Substitution Chris Wood Igor Jesus Maciel da Cruz
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:39Penalty Goal Igor Thiago Nascimento Rodrigues
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:39PENALTY TO BRENTFORD! An enormous long throw by Kayode is headed goalwards by Van den Berg and goes behind for a corner, Carvalho's delivery bounces around and comes off Van den Berg's back, before clearly hitting Sangare's raised hand and Peter Bankes points to the spot.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:35It's been a vintage striker's performance from Wood today. Forest's no.11 has had 14 touches, with just four of those in the Brentford box - but has two goals to show for it. Clinical.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:30It's Anderson pulling the strings again as he plays an incisive ball inside the left-back for Hudson-Odoi. Forest work the ball across to Ndoye who flashes a dangerous ball across goal. Kelleher beats it away and Brentford look to get clear but Anderson is sweeping round once more and regains possession for his side. He's been everywhere.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:29Substitution Keane Lewis-Potter Frank Onyeka
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:29Substitution Mathias Jensen Jordan Henderson
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:27A quite remarkable effort! Hudson-Odoi gets down the left channel far too easily and chips a ball back across goal where Gibbs-White is waiting with his back to goal. The Forest skipper adjusts his body and attempts an unusual sort of bicycle kick which initially looks headed for the far top corner but drops just over. Great improvisation.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:22Anderson has been the heartbeat of Nottingham Forest's display today. He has had the most touches (64), played the most passes (45) and made the join-most passes in the final third (18). His pass for Wood’s second on the stroke of half-time is well worth a watch later. An excellent display from the English midfielder.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:19Straight up the other end it's Sangare's turn to go for the spectacular as the Ivorian lets fly from about 35 yards but it sails straight into the rowdy Forest ground behind the goal.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:17It's been a lively start to the second half as a long Brentford throw is headed out to Lewis-Potter on the edge of the box. He loops a strange-looking header goalwards and Sels has to watch it carefully as it just about drops the right side of the cross bar for Forest.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:14Yellow Card Neco Williams
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:14Lewis-Potter controls a ball on the edge of the area that sits up beautifully. He strikes a left-footed half-volley well but it flies comfortably high and wide of Sels' net.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:13Yellow Card Nathan Collins
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:11Forest inject some speed into the second period straight away as Hudson-Odoi combines with Gibbs-White on the left side. The latter picks out a first time pass for Anderson but the midfielder's touch is heavy and he is offside anyway.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:07We're back underway at the City Ground...do Brentford have something special in store?
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:06Substitution Antoni Milambo Kevin Schade
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:03Opta makes this a 97.3 win probability for Forest now. Who will Andrews turn to? Schade is the only genuine goal threat amongst the substitutes.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
15:02As starts to the season go, it doesn’t get much better for Forest - who have been leagues apart from Brentford right from the first whistle. Wood got the scoring underway with a poacher's finish after five minutes and then the game just lulled as Brentford struggled to create anything of note. Forest knocked the ball around sharply and on 42 minutes, debutant Ndoye began repaying some of the £36m spent on him in the summer, making a darting run onto the end of Gibbs-White’s clipped delivery to head home. If that wasn’t game over, Wood made sure a couple of minutes later, latching onto Anderson’s inch-perfect through ball and rounding Kelleher to make it 3-0. A torrid first 45 for Andrews in the Brentford dugout as they created just 0.36xG compared to Forest’s 1.52xG. There have been murmurings of Brentford for the drop in the last week or so, and today’s performance will only intensify those claims. The front four for the visitors have been almost non-existent, with not one of them registering a shot on target in the first half.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:54HALF-TIME: NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3-0 BRENTFORD
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:49Goal Chris Wood
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:49With his header, Ndoye becomes the first ever Swiss player to score on their Premier League debut! He's also the first Forest debut scorer in the competition since Hudson-Odoi vs Burnley in September 2023.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:44Assist Morgan Gibbs-White
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:43Goal Dan Ndoye
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:43Big chance for Brentford! Henry does brilliantly down the left, skinning his man and cutting the ball back for Jensen, who helps the ball on to Thiago eight yards out. The Brazilian's effort is deflected behind by a Forest defender but the corner comes to nothing. Better from the Bees.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:41Thiago and Milenkovic then clash heads going for a header, as play is stopped again for a matter of minutes. The flow has just been stifled in the last five minutes, which Forest won't mind.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:39There's a VAR check for handball against Milambo from the free-kick as the forward gets in a horrible position inside the area as the ball is whipped goalwards. It appears to strike his hand but after a VAR check the referee signals for a corner.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:35Lewis-Potter fouls Williams on the left flank as the Welshman darts past him. Forest have a free-kick in a dangerous area with Wood lurking menacingly.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:34So far in this season opener, Forest have played in much the same style that brought them so much success last season - with nearly 80% of their attacks coming down the flanks and Aina and Williams pushing high from full-back.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:30Excellent defending again from Brentford as Gibbs-White picks out the run of Ndoye into the right hand channel of the area, but Kayode is tracking him all the way and outmuscles him before he can get a shot away.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:27First half-chance for Brentford! Forest lose the ball in midfield and Thiago lays the ball of for Yarmoliuk who drives towards the box and hits a low effort with the outside of his right boot, but Sels deals with it comfortably.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:23Well, we said today would be a good chance for Jesus to stake his claim as Brentford's main striker but it's been a difficult start to the game for the Brazilian, having just six touches in the opening 20 minutes. He will fancy getting a little more involved as the game goes on.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:21Super tackle! It isn't pretty but Gibbs-White bundles through a couple of challenges on the edge of the box before trying to send the ball towards the far bottom corner, it looks to be heading straight into Wood's path for a simple finish but Collins sticks a last-ditch leg out and averts the danger.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:19Aina sends in a deep, looping cross which sails over Wood's head, but Henry defends the ball awkwardly and gets a touch on it to hand Forest a corner. More than 45% of the action in the last 15 minutes has been in the Brentford defensive third.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:16Since Nuno's first game in charge of Forest on 23 December 2023, only Mohamed Salah (30) has scored more non-penalty Premier League goals than Wood (29). After 20 league goals last season, the Kiwi has made the perfect start to this new campaign!
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:14Forest are purring now! It's wonderful combination on the right side as Ndoye fires the ball into Anderson who flicks the ball first time into the path of Gibbs-White inside the area, but the skipper's shot is blocked. Moments later, Anderson is found inside the area but his volley is skewed horribly wayward.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:11Timed at exactly five minutes - Wood's opener is Nottingham Forest's fastest ever opening game goal. They have avoided defeat on the last five occasions when scoring first in the league.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:07Goal Chris Wood
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:07Williams lifts a decent ball over the top searching for the run of Ndoye but Collins comes across sharply and knocks the debutant to the ground firmly. Hudson-Odoi then beats Lewis-Potter down the left flank and his cross is turned behind for a corner by Collins.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:05Murillo concedes possession with a sloppy pass into midfield as the game gets off to a sedate start. Both sides a little wayward so far as Yarmoliuk then miscontrols in a good position for the visitors.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
14:02After a minutes silence in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, we're underway at the City Ground as the home side get us going!
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:57The players make their way out onto the pitch for the first time in the Premier League this season...
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:52Did you know that in Antoni Milambo (20), Michael Kayode (21), and Yehor Yarmoliuk (21), Brentford have started three players aged 21 or younger in a Premier League game for the very first time, as Andrews looks to shepherd in the post-Mbeumo and Wissa generation.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:47Andrews’ first Premier League XI sees starts for new signings Kelleher, Kayode and Milambo, whilst Henderson makes the bench. As expected, Wissa is not in the squad at all as rumours of a move to Newcastle continue to swirl. That means it is an excellent opportunity for Brazilian forward, Thiago, to finally stake his claim as the Bees’ main man, after an injury-hit start to life in England following a £30m move from Club Brugge in 2024. One of last season’s other star men, Mikel Damsgaard, misses today’s game for the birth of his child.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:47It’s a Premier League debut for £36m winger, Ndoye, as Nuno stays otherwise true to the core of players that gained European qualification last season. Forest captain Gibbs-White, who has signed a new three-year deal after being linked with a move away, starts in midfield behind last season’s top scorer, Wood. New signings Jesus and Cunha make the bench whilst Hutchinson and McAtee deals were not completed in time to be included today.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:41NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Matz Sels; Neco Williams, Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Ola Aina; Elliot Anderson, Ibrahim Sangaré, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye; Chris Wood.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:41BRENTFORD (4-2-3-1): Caoimhin Kelleher; Rico Henry, Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Michael Kayode; Yehor Yarmoliuk, Mathias Jensen, Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo, Keane Lewis-Potter, Igor Thiago.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:41SUBS: Hakon Valldimarsson; Aaron Hickey; Jordan Henderson; Kevin Schade; Frank Onyeka; Kristoffer Ajer; Myles Peart-Harris; Mads Roerslev; Benjamin Arthur
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:41SUBS: Angus Gunn; Morato; Taiwo Awoniyi; Igor Jesus; Jota Silva; Ryan Yates; Jair; Willy Boly; Zach Abbott.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:36After both enjoying successful 2024/25 campaigns, the summer transfer window has been a difficult one for Forest and Brentford fans alike. Despite qualifying for the UEFA Conference League, Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo publicly voiced concerns this week over the club’s lack of energy in the market, stating that his squad doesn’t feel ready for the campaign. That said, they have replaced Anthony Elanga with Swiss winger Dan Ndoye, signed highly-rated Brazilian pair, Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus, and last evening announced deals for Man City’s James McAtee and Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson. As for Brentford - new boss Keith Andrews has a stern test on his hands. With the loss of Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and Yoanne Wissa absent from the squad amid strong Newcastle speculation, the Bees have had the heart of their attack ripped right out. Former captain Christian Norgaard also departed for Arsenal and goalkeeper Mark Flekken has left for Bayer Leverkusen. All in all, without the tactical expertise of Thomas Frank, who ended a seven year stint as head coach by moving to Spurs this summer, Brentford may struggle to come anywhere close to last season’s respectable tally of 56 points. Some even have them as early relegation candidates. Opta’s win predictor has this one at 44.8% in favour of the home side - but Brentford have never lost their opening Premier League game in any of their four seasons in the top flight.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
13:30Hello and welcome to live coverage of Nottingham Forest vs Brentford on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season at the City Ground!
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
12:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
