Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Arsenal will seek a result to bounce back from their recent slump when they take on Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Manchester City played Leicester City on Saturday, and Pep Guardiola’s side are now top of the Premier League before Arsenal take on Nottingham Forest following a 1-0 win. Mikel Arteta mentioned a ‘reset’ following the midweek loss to PSV Eindhoven, and the Gunners need to re-focus their efforts on the Premier League.

The last few weeks have been difficult for Arteta. After escaping with a narrow win at Leeds United, Arsenal fumbled at Southampton and dropped two points. Granit Xhaka’s first-half strike was cancelled by a Stuart Armstrong equaliser, as the Gunners failed to respond afterwards.

Arteta would want to go into the World Cup break on a high and would need to win the three games left in the schedule. Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers may seem beatable, but the Chelsea trip might prove tricky. For now, Arsenal’s focus would be to revitalise the team and get back on track with the Premier League title race, with win deemed necessary.

Nottingham Forest enter the weekend schedule as the bottom-placed side in the Premier League. They come to the Emirates high on confidence after a morale-boosting win over Liverpool last Saturday. As Steve Cooper’s side held on, Taiwo Awoniyi’s solitary second-half strike was enough.

Cooper has maintained a defensive resilience with his team, with Nottingham Forest conceding only two goals in their last four games. However, they have picked up just two wins on the road this season and failed to score in each of their last four away matches.

Nottingham Forest will certainly provide a stern test for Arsenal and try and bring the momentum achieved in the last match. They will also be aware of the newly-promoted teams’ wretched records at the Emirates. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta will be again without Oleksandr Zinchenko despite maintaining the Ukrainian utility man will return to action before the World Cup break. The Gunners desperately need Zinchenko back in the fold after a few games where they have faltered in possession.

Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny remain absent for the foreseeable future. There are concerns over Gabriel Magalhaes, who limped off the pitch after the full-time whistle against PSV Eindhoven during midweek. Hence, the Brazilian remains a doubt for the home clash with Nottingham Forest.

If the Brazilian misses out, then William Saliba and Ben White will be expected to play at the heart of the Arsenal defence, with Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back. It will also allow Kieran Tierney to start at left-back. Meanwhile, Matt Turner’s groin problem may keep him sidelined, meaning Karl Hein will be on the bench as Aaron Ramsdale’s deputy.

There are not many changes expected to the other areas of the pitch. Thomas Partey remains the undisputed choice to play the holding midfield role. Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard are set to play advanced roles. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus will complete the frontline, as Arsenal seek a victory at the Emirates.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Ben White, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus

Nottingham Forest

Steve Cooper has confirmed that Nottingham Forest have no new injury problems after the Liverpool win. Hence he will have a similar squad of players from last weekend and will unlikely make many changes.

Nottingham Forest will miss the quartet of Omar Richards, Jack Colback, Harry Toffolo and Moussa Niakhate through injury issues. Meanwhile. Lewis O’Brien is a considerable doubt with a severe bout of illness.

Cooper has no reason to make any changes, although Jesse Lingard’s faltering form might call for the inclusion of Brennan Johnson in place of the attacking midfielder. Nottingham Forest are likely to maintain their attacking principles and go with a 4-3-3.

Taiwo Awoniyi will continue to lead the line, with Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White on either side of the front three. Cheikhou Kouyate will aim to continue his good form, while Remo Freuler will hold the midfield together with Ryan Yates.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Henderson; Aurier, Cook, McKenna, Williams; Yates, Freuler, Kouyate; Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Johnson

Key Stats

• Arsenal have won their last eight home games in the Premier League, scoring at least two goals.
• Arsenal have won six and lost just one of the ten Premier League meetings with Nottingham Forest.
• Arsenal have allowed just five shots on target from outside the penalty area this season – the fewest in the Premier League.
• Nottingham Forest have failed to score in their last four away matches in the Premier League.
• Nottingham Forest have failed to win their last six away games in the Premier League.

Player to Watch

Gabriel Jesus

In recent weeks, Arsenal have suffered from a lack of form, and much of the attention is on the attacking side. Having started the season in sublimely, the Gunners are failing to find the net more often. Jesus, in particular, has been subjected to doubts over his form, having failed to find the net in many games.

It may seem like his drop in form has coincided with the team’s performances. Even Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are not firing from the wings. It may be time for Jesus to take up the responsibility and score goals, which could also boost the confidence of the other young attackers around him.

Prediction

Arsenal 2-1 Nottingham Forest

On paper, Arsenal may seem clear favourites to take three points. But Steve Cooper will not easily give up the possibility of another positive result. The Nottingham Forest might be looking at where the Gunners have been faltering in recent weeks and trying to find a way for his side to get something.

However, Arsenal at home have been a force to reckon with this season. A few weeks back, Nottingham Forest might have been pushovers, but on current form, they could prove a well-oiled unit for the Gunners to deal with. Yet, we expect Mikel Arteta’s men to take all three points, maybe not in a convincing way. The Hard Tackle predicts a battling 2-1 win for Arsenal.