Unbeaten Ferencvaros will look to maintain their dominant start when they hit the road to square up against Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham Forest will be looking to return to winning ways in Europe and push for a top-eight finish in the Europa League when they host Ferencvaros, who will be eager to retain their place in the top eight and secure automatic qualification for the round of 16.

The hosts sit 16th in the table with 11 points from seven outings, having recorded three wins, two draws and as many defeats. The Tricky Trees are three points behind eighth-placed Real Betis, but they have a positive goal difference. A win here could help them break into the top eight.

After a disappointing start that saw them play out back-to-back draws, Nottingham Forest won three of their next four Europa League games. However, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of SC Braga last time out derailed their momentum. Having returned to winning ways against Brentford in the Premier League, Sean Dyche’s men will be keen to build on that result.

The visitors are seventh with 15 points from seven matches, having picked up four wins and three draws. While the Hungarian outfit enjoyed a flying start to their campaign, things have not been as straightforward of late, with the team dropping points in two of their last three European outings.

Their most recent Europa League appearance ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos. Ferencvaros head into this fixture on the back of a league defeat and will be eager to get back on track. While qualification is not under immediate threat, they hold only a narrow advantage over ninth-placed FC Porto and cannot afford to relax. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Nottingham Forest

Chris Wood and John Victor remain on the sidelines with knee injuries. Meanwhile, Omari Hutchinson, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Jair Cunha were all left out of the UEFA Europa League squad. Elliot Anderson is suspended after being sent off last time out. Meanwhile, Douglas Luiz is also closing in on a move to Aston Villa.

The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Matz Sels will be in goal. Neco Williams and Nicolo Savona will feature as the full-backs, while Morato will start alongside Nikola Milenkovic at the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Ryan Yates will form the double pivot alongside Ibrahim Sangare in the centre of the park. The duo will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.

Morgan Gibbs-White will take up the number ten role, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dan Ndoye will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width. Igor Jesus will lead the line for Nottingham Forest against Ferenecvaros on Thursday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Yates, Sangare; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Ferencvaros

Ferencvaros will be without the services of Stefan Gartenmann (undisclosed), while Toon Raemaekers is suspended, having picked up a milestone yellow last time out.

The visitors will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where David Grof will take charge in goal. The back three will be made up of Csongor Lakatos, Ibrahim Cisse, and Gabor Szalai. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back.

They will receive significant support from Cebrail Makreckis and Cadu, who will feature as the wing-backs. Meanwhile, Jonathan Levi will start alongside Julio Romao and Gavriel Kanichowsky in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure the Nottingham Forest midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.

In the final third, Kristoffer Zachariassen will partner with Bamidele Yusuf. The Ferencvaros attacking duo will wait for the opportunities to hit Nottingham Forest on the break.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Grof; Lakatos, Cisse, Szalai; Makreckis, Levi, Romao, Kanichowsky, Cadu; Zachariassen, Bamidele

Key Stats

• Nottingham Forest, who are competing in Europe for the first time in 30 years, are confirmed to feature in the knockout round.
• The Trick Trees are unbeaten in their last three league outings (W3 D1).
• Ferencvaros are one of only three teams who are yet to lose a game in the Europa League this season.
• The Hungarian outfit will be keen to avoid going three consecutive games without a win in all competitions for the first time since February last year.
• Ferencvaros have only won six out of their last 20 matches against English opposition.

Player to Watch

Callum Hudson-Odoi

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Callum Hudson-Odoi will be one to watch when Nottingham Forest take on Ferencvaros, even though his UEFA Europa League numbers do not yet reflect his influence. The winger has contributed five goals and one assist across 29 appearances this season, logging over 1,800 minutes and providing a consistent attacking threat from wide areas.

While he is yet to register a goal contribution in Europe, Hudson-Odoi’s pace, direct dribbling, and ability to stretch defences make him a constant danger. With Forest pushing for a top-eight finish, this could be the stage for him to finally make a decisive impact in the Europa League.

Prediction

Nottingham Forest 2-1 Ferencvaros

Nottingham Forest will head into this fixture knowing a win could significantly boost their chances of breaking into the top eight, and playing at home should give them added belief. Despite a slight wobble in Europe last time out, the Tricky Trees have shown they can raise their level on big occasions, and their attacking quality could trouble a Ferencvaros side that has dropped points in recent outings.

The visitors remain difficult to beat and will look to stay compact before striking on the counter, but the pressure of protecting their top-eight spot could work against them. If Forest manage to control the midfield battle and make the most of their chances in the final third, they should have just enough to edge a closely contested encounter. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Sean Dyche and his charges.