The pace of the game has dropped, just as the intensity with which Nottingham started has dropped. Now the ball is being handled by the Blues and Forest are unable to finish their attacking moves against a visiting team that is looking to improve its game for the season.
Blues take the lead through Stansfield.
He had gone close a few seconds earlier with a driven ball across the face but opens the scoring with 23 minutes gone.
Got to say the hosts deserve their lead, have looked good so far and were causing Forest problems before the breakthrough
The game has been quite cut between both teams, the circulation of the game has been null and void and the goal options do not appear in any of the two teams, so for the moment the emotions do not reach the stadium.
Demarai Gray’s good shot from half distance, when with his right foot he dares to shoot powerfully, passing the ball over the goal defended by the Forest goalkeeper. Birmingham tried in the first minutes.
In short, Birmingham City come into this friendly as the clear favorites, thanks to their impressive recent form and the solid performance of their squad under Chris Davies. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest urgently need to find their game if they are to spring a surprise in this fixture. With the information and stats at hand, the most logical bet is a Birmingham City win, a tip that aligns with current trends and analysis of both teams.
In the last head-to-head meeting between the two teams, Nottingham Forest managed a 2-0 home win. This result shows that, although Birmingham City have improved, Nottingham Forest still have a positive recent record in this type of fixture.
The AI-generated prediction suggests that Birmingham City have a remarkably high probability of winning this clash. Based on recent data and statistics, the AI believes that Birmingham’s performance, along with their recent wins, give them a clear advantage over Nottingham Forest. Therefore, the AI betting tipster suggests betting on Birmingham City to win.
Meanwhile, the Blues have won three of their five pre-season friendlies to date ahead of their first Championship game of the season against Ipswich Town at St. Andrew’s next Friday. Ryan Allsop starts in goal, while Phil Neumann is fit enough to return and partner Christoph Klarer at the heart of defence, with Alex Cochrane and Bright Osayi-Samuel also featuring.
In a few moments we will share with you the starting lineups for the Birmingham vs Nottingham Forest live match, as well as the latest information from the stadium. Don’t miss a single detail of the Birmingham vs Nottingham Forest match live with VAVEL’s comments.
The record between Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest has been fairly even over the years, although with a slight advantage for the Nottingham team. In total, the two clubs have met 83 times in official competitions, with 34 wins for Nottingham Forest, 22 wins for Birmingham and 27 draws. In terms of goals, Forest also lead with 112 goals to Birmingham’s 98.
Nottingham Forest had a memorable 2024-25 season, probably the club’s best in more than three decades. Under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo, who renewed his contract until 2028, the team showed a solid and competitive performance in the Premier League, finishing seventh in the table with 65 points. This outstanding position enabled them to qualify for the UEFA Conference League, marking the club’s return to European competitions, something that had not happened for many years.
During the 2024-25 season, Birmingham City experienced a true sporting resurrection. After relegation to League One in the previous campaign, the club responded with a historic season, winning the championship with authority and breaking multiple records in the process. Under coach Chris Davies – who took over in June 2024 – the team amassed an impressive 111 points, an unprecedented tally in the professional leagues of English soccer.
These matches provide an opportunity for players to get back into competitive rhythm after an injury or a long period of inactivity. They are also organized for social, commercial or commemorative reasons, such as tributes, anniversaries or to strengthen ties between clubs. In the case of national teams, friendlies are usually played on dates established by FIFA and are key in the preparation for important tournaments such as the World Cup or the Copa América.
Friendly matches are sports matches played outside of an official competition. That is to say, their outcome has no effect on tournaments, rankings or awarding of titles. Even so, they play a very important role for teams, as they serve as physical and tactical preparation, allowing coaches to test new strategies, evaluate the performance of the group or integrate young players and recent additions.