Nottingham

• Nottingham Forest have won their past two home league games against Brighton, having failed to win any of their previous six (D4 L2). They won 3-1 in this fixture last season.

• Having won their first two top-flight meetings with Forest in 1979-80, Brighton are now without a victory against them in eight (D2 L6).

• Brighton have scored and conceded in their past 16 Premier League matches, the joint-longest run in history, along with Everton between September 2012 and January 2013.

• In 2023, Brighton have scored 90 goals in 44 games. It’s their most in a calendar year since 1976 (92), while it is their best average goals per game in a year (2.05) since 1955, when they scored 118 goals in 53 matches (2.23 per game).

• Taiwo Awoniyi has scored 10 goals and assisted two in his past 14 Premier League games. Awoniyi is averaging a goal or assist every 123 minutes in the competition for Forest, with only Stan Collymore (one every 119 minutes) having a better average among players with 10 or more appearances for the club.

• No player has been involved in more goals for Brighton this season than Simon Adingra (four goals, three assists), with the winger scoring twice and assisting twice in his past five appearances.

Saveena Johal, Punjabi Forest, external

Coming into the international break positioned 15th was promising enough. Sneaking up to 14th place by the end of it is the finishing touch.

While Everton’s points deduction is well-received, a feeling that we would be OK regardless just highlights the club’s elevation.

For some, our generous promotion to 14th place will not soften the blows of losing certain winnable games this season. But there are plenty of positives.

Losing to a top-six team paved the way to a stellar performance in defeating another top-six team a week later.

Matt Turner’s honeymoon period came to a bitter end but that led to former Benfica talent Odysseas Vlachodimos making his debut.

Last season’s embarrassing defeats are gone and our goal difference reflects this. Points away from home feel more attainable, especially with a vastly improved team that takes pride in wearing the shirt.

The main worry should be whether we will have our striker ready for some tricky upcoming fixtures. We have learned that we are considerably better with Taiwo Aiwoniyi.

Either way, tempering expectations is something we, as a fanbase, seem to be getting more accustomed to.

I know I said last season we could afford to look upwards, but I really mean it this time round.

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