The last time these two teams faced off, it was a match to remember as both teams fought for a Premier League place. This time around, it comes with both in the English top flight, battling to keep their hard-earned spot.
A 2022 Championship playoff semifinal between these clubs saw the second leg finish 3-3 on aggregate, as Sheffield United fought back from a 2-1 aggregate deficit to force a penalty shootout, only to see Forest advance on spot kicks, ultimately moving on to secure a Premier League place.
Just a season removed, the Blades have snatched a top flight spot of their own, back in the first tier after a two-year absence.
Neither team managed to secure points in their first match of the 2023/24 season in what could be a harbinger of their fortunes this season. So a result in this second match would be critical, and all three points in particular would be enormous.
MORE: Relegation odds for the 2023/24 season
Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United match facts
- Date: Friday, August 18
- Kickoff Time: 2:45 p.m. ET / 7:45 p.m. BST / 4:45 a.m. AEST (Sat, Aug. 19)
- Location: City Ground (Nottinghamshire, England)
- Official: Peter Bankes
- Last meeting: Forest 1-2 Sheffield United a.e.t. (May 17, 2022 | Championship Playoff)
Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Nottingham Forest (-115)
- Handicap lean: Nottingham Forest -0.5 (-130)
- Score prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Sheffield United
While both these teams tasted defeat in their Premier League opener, the two losses were not equal.
Nottingham Forest took the game to Arsenal on the counter, holding just 22 percent possession but creating 1.18 expected goals on six shots, including two "big" chances, according to Opta. Meanwhile, they conceded 15 shots to Arsenal in a 2-1 loss, but all were low-quality efforts mostly born out of frustration. Eddie Nketiah's opener took a fortunate deflection to wrong-foot the goalkeeper, and Bukayo Saka produced a quality finish to double the Arsenal lead.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United were battered at home by Crystal Palace, conceding an enormous 24 shots and looking second-best the whole way. That was a Crystal Palace squad that, by the way, was missing Michael Olise whose transfer saga was playing out.
Take the team at home that looked far better in their opening game (Nottingham Forest) against a higher quality opponent rather than the newly-promoted side (Sheffield United) clearly still finding its way in the top flight.
| Forest win | Draw | Sheffield Utd. win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | NFO -0.5 | SHU +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -115 | +250 | +333 | +100 / -140 | +110 / -155 | -130 | -110 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | -123 | +247 | +329 | -109 / 143 | +117 / -149 | -119 | -108 |
| Top Betting Sites (UK) | 17/20 | 12/5 | 10/3 | 1/1, 3/4 | 23/20, 4/6 | — | — |
| Unibet (Australia) | 1.82 | 3.50 | 4.80 | 1.98 / 1.79 | 2.16 / 1.70 | 1.81 | 2.02 |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.90 | 3.55 | 4.50 | 2.04 / 1.78 | 2.19 / 1.71 | 1.89 | 2.00 |
Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United best bet
- Pick: Nottingham Forest -1.0 (Asian handicap)
- Odds: +166 (Sports Interaction)
It sure does seem like one of these teams is on an upward trajectory while the other has work to do. Sheffield United have a decent chance to stay up simply given the number of teams reasonably in the relegation mix, but they look as if they'll be in the thick of it, too.
Looking at United's roster just doesn't inspire confidence, with a number of players who are either lacking top-flight experience or who fell short of expectations in previous Premier League stints. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest added a young Manchester United talent in Anthony Elanga (more on that below) and sport players such as Willy Boly, Brennan Johnson, and Morgan Gibbs-White, who can all point to at least marginal prior success at this level.
Last week's performances suggest as such, and while it might be too much to ask Forest to blow Sheffield United out, a play on the Asian handicap provides a solid return in the event of a multi-goal home win, while a one-goal victory still affording a push.
Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United prop bet
- Pick: Anthony Elanga score or assist a goal
- Odds: +220 (FanDuel)
While Nottingham Forest collectively put together a solid performance against Arsenal despite defeat, one player stood out amongst the rest, and he was only on the pitch for 10 minutes. Anthony Elanga came on late off the bench, and was electric, generating just four touches into two chances created and 0.61 expected assists.
There are now calls for the former Manchester United winger to start, and those will likely come to fruition. Even if he oddly begins amongst the substitutes again, Elanga should see at least 30 minutes off the bench, and would be likely to contribute to the scoreline even in a limited role. Still, remember to wait until lineups are announced for locking in any goal scorer selections.
Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA and with Fubo in Canada
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | USA Network, Universo | Fubo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Universo NOW |
| Canada | — | Fubo Canada |
| UK | — | — |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport Premier League | Sky Sport NOW |
| India | — | Hotstar VIP, JioTV |
| Hong Kong | Now Premier League (620), Now Premier League 1 (621) | Now E, Now Player |
| Malaysia | Astro SuperSport 3 | Astro Go, sooka |
| Singapore | 221 Hub Premier 1 | StarHub TV+ |
