Arsenal have a tough away test against Nottingham Forest, with the City Ground having proved a difficult venue for the champions in recent years.
Oliver Glasner will have been disappointed with the result away to his former side Crystal Palace last weekend, when his Nottingham Forest team were arguably the better side, at least according to the eye test. The game was a major occasion, with the Eagles welcoming back their former manager and arguably the most successful coach in their history, although the final scoreline is not something the Austrian tactician will look back on fondly.
Aside from a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa away from home, Forest are yet to find another win to build momentum. Glasner will be focused on avoiding a third consecutive league defeat when Arsenal visit on Sunday. Last weekend, his side deservedly took the lead against Palace through Dan Ndoye but failed to capitalise on the chances they created. At the same time, the hosts were clinical with the opportunities available to them.
Before that, Glasner’s side suffered a damaging defeat at home to Coventry City, handing Frank Lampard’s team their first victory of the season. Forest now face a major test at the City Ground against Arsenal, although recent results against the North Londoners offer them some hope.
Arsenal will be mindful of their underwhelming record at the City Ground in recent visits, including back-to-back goalless draws in the last two seasons. Overall, Mikel Arteta has recorded just one win in his last five visits to the venue across all competitions.
Given their form and momentum, the Gunners will be favourites to win on Sunday and will be buoyed by their recent performances. Leeds United visited the Emirates last weekend and made the crowd nervous by taking a second-half lead through James Justin. However, Arsenal quickly found their rhythm, with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimaraes securing victory.
In midweek, they made light work of Ligue 1’s second-placed side Lille, with a second-half blitz enough to seal the three points. Goals from Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze, and Bukayo Saka in quick succession unsettled the French visitors and prepared Arsenal well for their weekend trip to Nottingham Forest.
Team News & Tactics
Nottingham Forest
There are some key concerns within the Nottingham Forest camp, particularly regarding the fitness and availability of captain Morgan Gibbs-White. The attacking midfielder came off during the Palace clash with a muscular complaint, while Oliver Glasner stated that the England international had been unable to train throughout the week.
Glasner will decide on Gibbs-White’s availability based on whether he can train and prove his fitness on Saturday. Nicolo Savona and Igor Jesus are ruled out of the clash, while the manager has stated that Nikola Milenkovic could make the matchday squad.
Glasner is expected to persist with his preferred back-three formation and wing-backs. Ola Aina should start in the defensive line in place of Jair Cunha, with Ousmane Diomande and Murillo alongside him. Daniel Munoz and Neco Williams will operate as the wing-backs, while Ibrahim Sangare and James McAtee feature in midfield.
Gibbs-White’s potential absence would create a selection headache for Glasner. He could deploy Callum Hudson-Odoi in the final third, which would see Dan Ndoye switch positions and move to the right side of the attack. Liam Delap is expected to lead the line and will look to make his presence felt against Arsenal’s physical defenders.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Sels; Aina, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, McAtee, Sangare, Williams; Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi; Delap
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has no fresh concerns following the midweek Champions League victory, although there are still concerns over the fitness of Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie. Neither is expected to feature, although the Spaniard could have a chance of making the matchday squad if he comes through an assessment before the game.
Christos Tzolis remains sidelined, while William Saliba is still some time away from returning to full training as he continues his rehabilitation from a back problem. There could be some rotation, as Arteta will have one eye on the midweek Champions League encounter away to Bayern Munich.
Riccardo Calafiori could return to the lineup at left-back, while Ben White may replace Jurrien Timber at right-back. Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes should retain their central defensive positions, while Martin Odegaard and Bruno Guimaraes are expected to feature in midfield alongside Declan Rice.
Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz are expected to return to the lineup after appearing from the bench in midweek. Arteta will have a decision to make regarding his starting left winger after Noni Madueke’s impressive display there last weekend. Eze also made his case with a goal in midweek, although it could be the latter who starts.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Ben White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Guimaraes; Saka, Havertz, Eze
Key Stats
- Nottingham Forest have scored just five goals in their first six Premier League matches, making them the joint-second-lowest scorers in the division.
- Nottingham Forest have lost only once in their last six home matches against Arsenal. The last two league meetings between Forest and Arsenal at the City Ground have finished goalless despite 40 shots.
- Arsenal have won nine of their last ten matches in all competitions.
- Arsenal have kept clean sheets in each of their last four matches against Nottingham Forest.
- Arsenal have not scored a non-penalty set-piece goal in six Premier League games this season, their longest such drought since a seven-match run from January to March in 2025.
Player to Watch
Bukayo Saka
After starting the season with goals, Saka has struggled from a performance standpoint and has faced some criticism along the way. The winger silenced his doubters to some extent with a game-changing cameo against Lille, and Mikel Arteta will want his star player to build on that display.
Saka has often been a decisive player in cagey matches over the last few seasons, and this trip to Forest could be another occasion on which he proves pivotal. The Forest defence will be wary of the Englishman’s threat, and it will be up to the winger to make his presence count and give Arsenal a vital advantage.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal
Nottingham Forest have struggled this season, particularly in front of goal, having scored only five times so far. More importantly, they are yet to win at home, and facing a team like Arsenal may not prove fruitful in their quest to build momentum.
Arsenal have often encountered well-organised, defensive opponents, and this could be another cagey afternoon at the City Ground. However, the experience within this side could prove decisive in scoring the one goal that gives them a platform to protect their lead. This could be a narrow victory for the Gunners as they look to remain at least second in the table.