Nottingham Forest and Burnley will face each other in a high stakes relegation clash at the City Ground on Sunday, 19 April 2026. With only six matches left this season, this Matchday 33 fixture is very important. Forest are looking to secure their Premier League safety, while Burnley are fighting to avoid going back down to the Championship.
Recent Form
Nottingham Forest come into this game full of confidence after a big achievement in Europe. Vítor Pereira’s team recently reached their first European semi final since 1984 after a hard fought 1-0 aggregate win over Porto in the Europa League.
In the league, they have also improved. Forest moved further away from the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at the City Ground. Neco Williams scored in the first half to cancel out an early own goal from Murillo, helping the team earn an important point.
Burnley are in a very different situation. Scott Parker’s side have not won any of their last seven league matches and sit 19th on the table, 12 points away from safety. Their struggles continued last weekend when Brighton defeated them 2-0 at Turf Moor as the highlight was posted on Brighton’s Official YouTube channel. Mats Wieffer scored twice, and Burnley fans showed their frustration at full time.
Head to Head and Key Stats
Burnley have had the better record in recent meetings. They have 10 wins compared to Forest’s 5 in their last 22 matches. The most common result between the two teams is 1-1, which has happened eight times, including earlier this season at Turf Moor.
However, at the City Ground, Forest have a stronger record. They have won 29 of their 54 home games against Burnley.
Key Players and Absences
Forest are checking on the fitness of Chris Wood, Murillo and Callum Hudson Odoi after all three picked up knocks in the midweek win over Porto. Pereira is hopeful that Wood and Murillo will be fit, but Hudson Odoi is unlikely to play.
Burnley will have Josh Laurent back from suspension, but Connor Roberts and Hannibal Mejbri remain unavailable.
Manager Quotes
Forest manager Vítor Pereira spoke about the importance of staying focused. He said,
Six games without losing means we are consistent. It is about the energy of our supporters. We need to face Burnley in our best condition because it will be a tough game again.
Burnley manager Scott Parker also shared his thoughts. He said,
I am very honest about our situation. The last four or five games have been must win matches, but we have not been able to win them. We still need to keep fighting until the end.
Tactical Expectation and Storylines
The match could be decided by Forest’s quick attacking play against Burnley’s weak defence, which has conceded 63 goals this season, the highest in the league. Softfootball believes that Vítor Pereira will rely on a high-intensity, possession-heavy system to tire out a Burnley side that has struggled for creativity, often failing to break down organized defenses.
Neco Williams is in good form and will be important again. Another key player is Morgan Gibbs White, who leads Forest with 9 goals this season. Burnley must find a way to stop him and also improve their attack, which has struggled to create chances.
Wrap Up
For Nottingham Forest, a win would move them closer to safety and allow them to focus on their upcoming European semi final. For Burnley, anything less than three points could confirm their relegation.
Expect a tense and competitive match as the City Ground crowd supports Forest in a crucial battle for Premier League survival.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Predicted Starting XIs
| Position | Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1) | Burnley (4-2-3-1) |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Matz Sels | Martin Dúbravka |
| Defenders | Aina, Murillo, Milenković, Williams | Hartman, Humphreys, Estève, Walker |
| Midfielders | Sangaré, Anderson | Ward-Prowse, Laurent |
| Attacking Mid | Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye | Edwards, Ugochukwu, Anthony |
| Forward | Chris Wood | Zian Flemming |
