Nottingham Forest picked up the new season where they left off the old, beating new-look Brentford 3-1 in a comfortable game at the City Ground on Sunday.
Chris Wood scored twice and was joined on the score sheet by new signing Dan Ndoye, as the Tricky Trees took three points for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Europa League qualifiers.
WATCH — Nottingham Forest vs Brentford full match replay
Brentford did not give new boss Keith Andrews a good start, as the Bees trailed 3-0 at the break and were missing Yoane Wissa in addition to big name transfers Christian Norgaard and Bryan Mbeumo.
Life after Thomas Frank was given a small boost by Igor Thiago scoring a second-half penalty to ensure the Bees wouldn’t leave Week 1 without a goal.
For live updates and highlights throughout Nottingham Forest vs Brentford, check out PST’s live blog coverage below.
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Brentford live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9 am ET, Sunday
Venue: City Ground — Nottingham
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford final score: 3-1
Chris Wood 5′, 45+2′, Dan Ndoye 42′, Igor Thiago pen 78′
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford live updates — by Nick Mendola
Igor Thiago penalty goal — Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford
Low and down-the-middle as Matz Sels dives to his right.
Brentford penalty
Ibrahima Sangare strikes the ball in the box with his raised arm.
VAR is taking a look. No change.
More Brentford subs
Jordan Henderson and Frank Onyeka enter, while Keane Lewis-Potter and Mathias Jensen go off the pitch.
Still 3-0 Forest now in the 69th minute.
Brentford sub
Kevin Schade replaces Antoni Milambo at the break.
Halftime — Nottingham Forest 3-0 Brentford
It wasn’t quite a 3-0 half but Forest are certainly the superior side.
We can’t get over the timing of the ball and run on that goal. High, high IQ combined with precision.
Chris Wood goal — Nottingham Forest 3-0 Brentford
Gorgeous football.
Forest hit a first-touch, grass-burning 60-yard pass to an onrushing Wood.
The New Zealand star deals with a bobbling ball to round Kelleher and bury his 91st Premier League goal.
Wood scores his second goal of the day for Forest
Chris Wood gets past the defense, and even goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, to score his second goal of the day and put Nottingham Forest up 3-0 against Brentford.
Dan Ndoye goal — Nottingham Forest 2-0 Brentford
Pretty, pretty header from new Forest man Dan Ndoye.
Morgan Gibbs-White delivers a clever cut cross and the diving forward Ndoye nods it past Kelleher.
Ndoye heads Forest up 2-0 over Brentford
Dan Ndoye connects on a masterful pass from Morgan Gibbs-White to put Nottingham Forest up 2-0 in his Premier League debut at the City Ground.
VAR denies Forest penalty
A whipped-in free kick goes off the arm of a defending Bee, and this looks like it could be a penalty.
But it’s deemed within the natural shape of the leaping defender and Brentford are off the hook.
Questionable, that one.
Matz Sels keeps it 1-0
Yehor Yarmoliuk is in with something between a half-chance and big danger, but Forest keeper Matz Sels parries his shot.
Chris Wood goal — Nottingham Forest 1-0 Brentford
Same as it ever was.
Three players surround Chris Wood as Forest attempt a corner,
The Kiwi misses the ball but cleans it up off the turf with a long limb and a strong finish.
Five minutes in, it’s 1-0 Forest.
Wood gets Forest on the board v. Brentford
Chris Wood finds the opening off the corner kick and puts Nottingham Forest up 1-0 against Brentford during Matchweek 1.
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Brentford lineup
Kelleher, Kayode, Van den Berg, Collins, Henry, Yarmoliuk, Jensen, Milambo, Carvalho, Lewis-Potter, Thiago
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford preview — by Andy Edwards
After finishing 7th last season, Forest are back in European competition (the Europa League, controversially) for the first time since 1995-96. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side was in the top-4 for much of the campaign but fell away from the Champions League race as they won just 8 points from their final 8 games. Anthony Elanga has since departed for Newcastle ($74 million), thus the Tricky Trees are likely to be very active in the final two weeks of the transfer window. 24-year-old Swiss winger Dan Ndoye has already signed from Bologna ($46 million) and now midfielder James McAtee is reportedly on the verge of joining from Manchester City for $40 million.
For Brentford, the new is adventure one of the unknown and endless uncertainty. Thomas Frank left to become Tottenham Hotspur boss this summer, trading west London for north after seven incredible seasons spent guiding the once-tiny club from its status as a perennial mid-table Championship side, to a 50-point average over four seasons in the Premier League. Keith Andrews, who previously served as set-piece coach under Frank, is the new man in charge and will make his professional managerial debut on Sunday. 20-goal scorer Bryan Mbeumo is also gone (off to Manchester United for $88 million), captain Christian Norgaard was quite a surprise signing by Arsenal, and now the club’s other top marksman Yoane Wissa (19 goals) isn’t involved with the squad as he attempts to force a move of his own with just one year remaining on his contract.
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Nicolas Dominguez (knee)
Brentford team news, focus
OUT: Yoane Wissa (disciplinary), Gustavo Nunes (thigh), Vitaly Janelt (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Kevin Schade (knock), Caoimhin Kelleher (knock), Ethan Pinnock (knock)
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford prediction
Even with Elanga leaving, Forest are going to be a good counter-attacking team again this season. Their depth should also play a big factor early in the season as other sides with smaller squads (like Brentford) require more time get up to speed. A late winner. Forest 2-1 Brentford.
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