STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Fri: Sunderland v Nottm Forest

Nottingham Forest can take a huge step towards Premier League survival when they head to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Friday night, writes JOE CITRONE.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s stunning hat-trick fired Forest to a 4-1 win over Burnley last Sunday, and Vitor Pereira’s side have now gone unbeaten in five Premier League games, hauling themselves five points clear of 18th-placed Tottenham with five games remaining.

As for the hosts, Sunderland achieved their top objective weeks, maybe even months ago, securing a second consecutive season in the top flight after eight years adrift in the lower leagues.

Regis Le Bris’ men sit a comfortable 11th, though they head into this one on the back of a thrilling, but heartbreaking, 4-3 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend.

STARSPORTS.BET FOOTBALL MARKETS

Sunderland v Nottingham Forest
Premier League
20:00 Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Ultra HDR

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
SEP 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottm Forest 1-0 Sunderland
DEC 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP Nottm Forest 0-1 Sunderland
SEP 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP Sunderland 0-1 Nottm Forest
AUG 2008 LEAGUE CUP Nottm Forest 1-2 Sunderland
DEC 2004 CHAMPIONSHIP Nottm Forest 1-2 Sunderland

SUNDERLAND
APR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa 4-3 Sunderland
APR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham
MAR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland
MAR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Sunderland 0-1 Brighton
MAR 2026 FA CUP Port Vale 1-0 Sunderland

NOTTINGHAM FOREST
APR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottm Forest 4-1 Burnley
APR 2026 EUROPA LEAGUE Nottm Forest 1-0 FC Porto
APR 2026 EUROPA LEAGUE FC Porto 1-1 Nottm Forest
APR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottm Forest 1-1 Aston Villa
MAR 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Tottenham 0-3 Nottm Forest

⭐ STARSPORTS.BET MATCH MARKETS ⭐

Le Bris will demand a reaction from his players after that late defeat at Villa, and Sunderland are more than capable of making life difficult for the visitors on home soil.

That said, I find it hard to look past Forest here. The Tricky Trees seem to be coming into a purple match at just the right moment, and with Gibbs-White in the kind of form he’s in at the moment, this could be the victory that pushes Forest towards safety.

At 13/8 with starsports.bet, I am backing the away side to win and move another giant step closer to safety.

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Nottingham Forest to win 2pts at 13/8 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

(APR 2026): PROFIT/LOSS: 1.15 points