In-form duo Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest lock horns in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides enter the encounter in confident mood after impressive starts to the new year, with Forest knowing they could finish the weekend in second place should they better Arsenal’s result. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been the surprise success story of the current campaign and currently sit top of the form table across the last five games with four wins and a draw.

A trip to the south coast will be no cakewalk, though. Bournemouth are fresh from hammering Newcastle United 4-1 at St James’ Park last weekend and have climbed to seventh in the table following a ten-match unbeaten run in the Premier League. Victory on Saturday would move them within just four points of Forest.

Here is 90min’s guide to an intriguing clash on the south coast.

Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest head-to-head record (last five games)

Current form (all competitions)

Bournemouth’s recent form is all the more impressive when taking into consideration their extensive injury list. Remarkably, they will be without ten first-team players against Forest as Andoni Iraola’s high-energy approach takes its toll.

In defence, the Cherries will be without all three senior right-backs – James Hill, Adam Smith and Julian Araujo – and Marcos Senesi is absent in the centre. January recruit Julio Soler is currently unavailable due to international commitments with Argentina’s Under-20s.

Alex Scott is the only absentee in the midfield but Bournemouth’s forward line is ravaged by fitness issues. Evanilson and Enes Unal are sidelined, the latter out for the rest of the season, while Luis Sinisterra is also unavailable. Marcus Tavernier is back in training but Iraola has confirmed that he remains a doubt this weekend.

Bournemouth predicted lineup vs Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Ouattara.

Ibrahim Sangare is a long-term absentee for Forest in the engine room and Callum Hudson-Odoi is their only other doubt to feature against Bournemouth. The winger was withdrawn due to tightness in his groin last weekend in victory over Southampton.

Chris Wood and Murillo have been two of Forest’s star performers this season and both will start for the first time since signing new contracts.

Nottingham Forest predicted lineup vs Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Jota; Wood.

These sides clashed on the opening day of the season and shared the spoils from a hard-fought tactical battle. Saturday could produce a similar story at the Vitality Stadium.

Forest are likely to take a backseat approach on the south coast as they sit deep and attempt to frustrate their injury-stricken hosts. Bournemouth’s intensity proved too much for Newcastle to handle last weekend but they could find life more challenging against a stubborn and well-organised backline.

With both teams in excellent form, it’s difficult to pick a winner between these two overperformers, with neither likely too concerned by sharing the points again this weekend.

Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest

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