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Blackburn Rovers will take on Nottingham Forest in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, 22 July, as both teams continue their preparations for the start of the English football season next month.
With both teams under the guidance of new managers, pre-season is of utmost importance as Tony Mowbray and Oliver Glasner get to grips with their new squads.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Nottingham Forest vs Blackburn Rovers key stats
- Nottingham Forest have won their one and only other friendly this summer.
- Blackburn finished last season with just one win from their final six matches.
- Fewer than three goals have been scored in two of the three friendlies featuring either one of these teams this summer.
Nottingham Forest vs Blackburn Rovers preview: An English battle in the Algarve
Nottingham Forest vs Blackburn Rovers — Tale of the Tape
| Nottingham Forest (Premier League) | vs | Blackburn Rovers (Championship) |
|---|---|---|
| 16th | Position | 20th |
| 71 | Points | 52 |
| 69 | Goals For | 42 |
| 50 | Goals Against | 56 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 12th |
| N/A | Home / Away Rank | N/A |
Nottingham Forest's pre-season started with a local derby victory over Notts County on Saturday, much to the delight of their fans who visited enemy territory for the fixture.
The match marked Oliver Glasner's first game in charge, and although we can't read too much into pre-season results, particularly at this early stage, the Austrian will be privately pleased that his side got the win without conceding a goal.
Glasner and his squad have since travelled to Portugal, where the bulk of their pre-season matches will take place, starting with the clash against Blackburn on Tuesday afternoon.
The aim in the Algarve will be for the former Palace boss to get a better look at his new squad while the club work on new signings in the background. Chris Wood and Ibrahim Sangare are back in training, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is nearing a return.
As for Blackburn Rovers, a second new era under Tony Mowbray has started steadily with one win and one draw from their first two pre-season matches of the summer.
In terms of opposition, the match against Nottingham Forest certainly represents a step up in quality following matches against Accrington Stanley and Barnsley. If Rovers are to push for promotion this season, facing Forest will give them an indication of how likely that is.
Mowbray is back in the hot seat at Ewood Park after four years away, but his experiences the first time around should stand him in good stead this season, not least because he is familiar with the constraints he will have to work under from a squad-building perspective.
Rovers have made just one summer signing so far, Moussa Baradji, whose loan deal has been made permanent.
Nottingham Forest vs Blackburn Rovers form guide & betting tips
| Nottingham Forest | vs | Blackburn Rovers |
|---|---|---|
L
D
L
D
W |
Form |
D
W
L
D
W
|
| 6 | Goals For | 7 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 3 |
W |
Club Friendly | DW |
Whispers predicts: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Blackburn Rovers
Nottingham Forest finished 24 places above Blackburn in the English football pyramid last season, illustrating the gulf in quality between the two squads.
Glasner's side are not known for being involved in high-scoring matches. Fewer than three goals have been scored in each of the last two matches the Austrian has taken charge of.
Igor Jesus scored the opening goal of Nottingham Forest's first pre-season match against Notts County.
> Nottingham Forest to win to nil | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 2.5 goals | Likelihood: Probable
> Igor Jesus to score anytime | Likelihood: Possible