Nottingham Forest welcome Bournemouth to the City Ground for their opening fixture of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign on Saturday afternoon.
The only previous occasion when these two teams have butted heads in an opening league fixture was back in August 2007 when they played out a goalless stalemate in League One.
Nottingham Forest experienced an eventful 2023-24 campaign both on and off the pitch, but they managed to avoid relegation and finished 17th in the Premier League table, despite being deducted four points for breaching the division’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
Nuno Espirito Santo was brought in to replace Steve Cooper in December, and although his appointment was not warmly welcomed by some quarters of the Forest fanbase, he steered the club to safety and has since been backed in the transfer market.
Indeed, six fresh faces have arrived at the City Ground this summer, including the club-record addition of midfielder Elliot Anderson, and more new signings are set to arrive before the window slams shut on August 30.
Forest took part in six pre-season friendlies over the summer, winning three, drawing two and losing one; they most recently beat Conference League champions Olympiacos by a thrilling 4-3 scoreline in Greece last weekend.
Nuno and co will be keen to make a bright start to the new Premier League campaign, but they head into Saturday’s clash against Bournemouth having failed to win any of their last eight league meetings with the Cherries, while they have also lost their opening league game in each of the last five seasons, conceding exactly two goals on each occasion.