Brentford vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

I'm backing Brentford to avoid defeat here. Nottingham Forest rarely wins, and Brentford rarely loses—that's my core read on this fixture on 31 October 2026 at 18:00. Brentford have not lost in 9 of their last 10 Premier League matches and scored in every one of them. Forest have won just one of their last eight league games and sit 18th, while Brentford sit sixth after losing only once this season. I won't bet on a Brentford win outright because the form cuts both ways: Brentford drew 1–1 with Hull and lost 1–2 to Liverpool in recent weeks, so a draw remains a live outcome. Forest's underlying numbers aren't as weak as their results suggest—they're generating around 1.74 xG per game, slightly above Brentford's opponents at 1.66 xG—but they're not converting chances. I expect Brentford to score again, but I'm not certain they'll win, so I'm taking the draw into my calculation.

Form and H2H

I've looked at the head-to-head record, and Brentford have the upper hand. In their six meetings since 2015, Brentford won four and drew none, with scorelines like 3–4, 3–0, and 1–0 victories. My recent form data shows Brentford averaging 2.09 goals for and 1.40 against over their last ten games, while Forest average 0.80 goals for and 1.20 against. I can see why the bookmakers make Brentford favorites. Brentford's profit trend on the match winner is negative at –2.19, meaning their wins have been underpriced historically, but their draws have returned 11.90 in profit. For Forest, the picture is bleaker: –4.13 on wins and –1.29 on draws. I'm leaning into that draw value because I think it's the most likely non-Brentford-win outcome.

Best bet

I'm taking Brentford with a 0.0 handicap at 1.8 on 1xBet. This is my hedge: it covers both a Brentford win and a draw, which I see as the two most probable results. I'm not confident enough in a straight Brentford win at 2.07 given their recent wobbles, but I'm confident enough that Forest won't win to lay that risk. The Asian handicap at –0.25 (1.8) gives me a half-stake refund if it's a draw, so I'm not leaving money on the table if the match ends level. I could chase the 1–0 Brentford win in the individual totals, but I prefer the safety of the handicap here.

Odds to watch

I'm monitoring Both Teams Score at 1.6 for yes on 1xBet. Brentford have scored in 9 of their last 10 matches across all competitions, and Forest have enough quality to trouble them, even if they're not finishing. Over 2.5 goals sits at 1.78, which I find tempting given Brentford's attacking form, but I'm not chasing it as a primary bet. If I wanted to layer on top of my main pick, I'd look at Brentford to score and not lose (the 1.8 handicap covers this), then add BTTS yes at 1.6 for a parlay. The draw at 3.88 is decent value on its own if you believe in the stalemate scenario, and it's the second-most likely outcome in my view.