The odds are stacked against Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche starting Premier League life with the Tricky Trees with victory at Bournemouth.
Dyche has endured a whirlwind week where he has been appointed as the successor to Ange Postecoglou and overseen a Europa League fixture against Porto.
A penalty in each half earned Forest a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over the Portuguese giants to kick-start their first continental campaign in three years.
However, focus now turns to domestic action with Forest sitting in 18th position in the Premier League table and without a win in the division since the opening weekend of the season.
Ahead of Sunday's match at the Vitality Stadium, Forest are seemingly growing in confidence, but there are a number of statistics counting against a second triumph in the space of four days.
Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola on August 30, 2025
Bournemouth boast historical advantage over Nottingham Forest
Forest have not recorded a win over Bournemouth in a league fixture - whether that be in the Premier League or Championship - since 2014-15.
Bournemouth have recorded six victories and four draws during that period, while Forest have only prevailed once in 11 away fixtures at the Vitality Stadium.
At the same time as Forest are winless in seven Premier League matches, Bournemouth have come through the same period without defeat, their only loss coming at Liverpool on the opening weekend of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Dyche has lost his last three matches against Bournemouth, all of which had Andoni Iraola in the opposite dugout.
The Vitality Stadium was also the location of Dyche's last Premier League fixture in charge of former club Everton in January.
Nottingham Forest Head Coach Sean Dyche
Final game before a week on the training ground
Much has been made of the contrasting styles of Postecoglou and Dyche, the latter inevitably looking forward to having more time to work with his players on the training ground.
Forest's early exit from the EFL Cup means that Dyche and his staff will have a full week with the squad before next weekend's Premier League fixture at home to Manchester United.
That fixture is followed by a trip to Sturm Graz in the Europa League and City Ground encounter versus Leeds United before the November international break.
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