Premier League Pre-Season Showdown: Fulham vs. Nottingham Forest
Fulham and Nottingham Forest, both boasting unbeaten pre-season records, are set to clash in a friendly in Faro, Portugal, this Saturday. This match at the Estadio de Sao Luis will see compatriots Marco Silva and Nuno Espirito Santo pit their teams against each other. Fulham will be aiming for their third consecutive friendly win, while Forest looks to sharpen their attack.
Fulham's Quiet Yet Effective Pre-Season
Despite being the only Premier League club yet to announce a new signing this summer, Fulham has quietly impressed. They've secured two wins from two behind-closed-doors matches: a 4-0 thrashing of Aberdeen, featuring a Harry Wilson brace, and a 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion thanks to an Emile Smith Rowe goal.
This friendly marks the halfway point of their pre-season, with only one more fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt at Craven Cottage on August 9th before a challenging start to the Premier League season. Fulham faces Brighton, Chelsea, and Manchester United in August. The club is reportedly close to signing experienced French goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte and is in talks to re-sign Reiss Nelson on loan from Arsenal.
Nottingham Forest Seeking Attacking Spark
In contrast to Fulham's quiet transfer window, Nottingham Forest's pre-season performances have been more subdued on the pitch. Nuno Espirito Santo's side has recorded two goalless draws so far. They first shared the spoils with League Two side Chesterfield and then played out another 0-0 against Ligue 1 giants Monaco, with goalkeepers Matz Sels and Carlos Miguel playing crucial roles in preserving their unbeaten record.
Forest still has plenty of time to find their scoring touch, with upcoming friendlies against Estoril, Birmingham City, Fiorentina, and Saudi Pro League side Al-Quadisiya. However, historical matchups against Fulham might cause some concern for Forest fans, as the Cottagers have won five of their six encounters since Forest's promotion in 2022, including doing the double over them last season.
