Oliver Glasner believes Nottingham Forest are heading in the right direction despite being without a win in their last four Premier League matches. 

Forest find themselves inside the bottom three heading into this weekend's clash away to Brentford after being held to a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town last time out. 

They have dropped seven points from losing positions in the top flight this season, the fourth-most of any side, and only one fewer than they lost in the whole of last term (eight).

Glasner has struggled to imprint his identity on his new team so far, and things do not get any easier against a Brentford side that are sixth in the Premier League.

Forest have also lost their last five league matches played on Halloween, a run stretching back to the first Premier League season in 1992-93 when they lost 1-0 to Ipswich.

But speaking ahead of Saturday's trip to the Gtech Community Stadium, Glasner is confident that his team's performances will soon turn into results. 

"I don't think that players are out of form, I think some players are showing better performances than they showed the entire last year," Glasner told reporters.

"I feel we're completely heading in the right direction. This is now the first time that it looks like there's a little bit of stability for months now.

"That's why I'm completely fine with what's happening at the training ground, how the players are presenting.

"Of course, we are not pleased with the results and with the points we have, but again, it's then our job, to get the results."

Down in the capital at the weekend. https://t.co/3vH1KuZrmr

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 28, 2026

Brentford are also a team aiming to return to winning ways, having failed to win in their last four matches across all competitions. 

Their latest result saw them dumped out of the EFL Cup by Sunderland, with a first-half flurry from the Black Cats enough to seal a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition. 

Tymur Tutierov, Chemsdine Talbi and Malick Fofana all struck in the space of 13 first-half minutes, with Callum Wilson pulling a goal back three minutes before the break. 

Igor Thiago netted a stoppage-time consolation, with Keith Andrews defending his decision to make eight changes to the side that drew with Hull City in the Premier League.

"We were very ambitious in this competition to go as far as we could," Andrews reflected. "We approached it in a very diligent way.

"Playing Sunderland recently, we know what they are about. We can't concede goals like that in a short space of time, defend like that and expect a good outcome.

"The game is about both boxes. Granted, there were some players who haven't played for a while, but we pride ourselves in how we defend as a team.

"It was a crazy game, but we have to look at ourselves, how we conceded those goals. You can't describe those 12 minutes of madness.

"I had full faith in the team, we see them every day in training and unfortunately those minutes have cost us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brentford – Jaidon Anthony

Since his move to Brentford this summer, Anthony has only managed to score one goal and provide one assist in the Premier League, but he comes up against a side he has excelled against recently.

Anthony has scored three goals in four Premier League appearances against Forest, including in both home games against them for Bournemouth in 2022-23 and Burnley in 2025-26.

Nottingham Forest – Morgan Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White's recent absence for Forest really hurt them in the final third, but after returning against Ipswich last time out, he will be hoping to make his mark here.

He is one of three players with 20+ chances created in the top flight this season (20), with no player creating more big chances than the Forest captain (seven).

HOW IT FEELS TO BE PLAYOFF BOUND  https://t.co/bjRxDzpM2L

— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) October 29, 2026

MATCH PREDICTION: BRENTFORD WIN

Despite the Opta supercomputer predicting a home win, Forest have won their last two league games against Brentford, only once registering three in a row, doing so in the Championship between February 2019 and January 2020.

Brentford were unbeaten in each of their first four Premier League games against Forest (W2 D2) but have now lost three of their last four (W1).

The Bees are one of two teams (along with Manchester City) to have scored in all eight of their Premier League games so far this season. Their 1-1 draw with Hull last time out was the only time they have not scored first.

Andrews' side have lost just one of their last nine Premier League home games (W3 D5), though it was their last one against Liverpool. They have not lost consecutive league matches at the Gtech since between January and February 2025.

Forest, meanwhile, have won just five of their last 23 Premier League games (D10 L8), the joint fewest of any ever-present side since the start of February, along with Tottenham.

And the problem for Forest has been in attack. No side has scored fewer Premier League goals so far in 2026-27 than the Tricky Trees (six). They have an xG of 13.5 so far this term, giving them the biggest xG underperformance (-7.5).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brentford – 50.3%

Draw – 25.2%

Nottingham Forest – 24.5%