Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, separated only by goal difference in the Premier League standings, are set to face off in what promises to be an intriguing clash at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have struggled recently, failing to win any of their last four league matches, while Forest also head into this fixture coming off a defeat at home to Newcastle United.
Once considered contenders for the title at the start of the 2024-25 season, Arsenal are now facing a difficult challenge just to secure a spot in the Champions League, let alone mount a serious challenge for the title against Manchester City and Liverpool, as evidenced by their first 11 games.
The return of Martin Ødegaard to the starting lineup against Chelsea offered a slight boost to Arsenal’s creativity. His perfectly weighted cross helped Gabriel Martinelli score, but a lapse in defense allowed Pedro Neto to find space and equalize in a 1-1 draw.
A two-week break might have come at a good time for Arsenal, who find themselves nine points off the top of the table and just three points clear of Brentford, sitting precariously in the lower half of the standings. A strong comeback after the break is crucial.
Across all competitions, Arsenal have won just two of their last seven matches, with victories coming over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Preston North End in the EFL Cup.
However, their form at home remains solid, with Arteta’s side unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches at the Emirates, scoring multiple goals in all but one of those games. Saturday’s match will mark their 250th under Arteta in all competitions.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest, under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo, are in strong form, despite a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle in their last match. Forest’s defense, once considered one of Europe’s best, currently boasts the second-best defensive record in the league, conceding just 10 goals. They had been on a five-match winning streak in the league before the loss to Newcastle.
Forest will be aiming to extend their impressive away run, having gone unbeaten in their last seven Premier League away matches. With only 102 minutes spent behind in league games this season, they have shown remarkable resilience. A win at the Emirates could see them leapfrog Arsenal into the top four, or even a draw might be enough if Chelsea lose to Leicester earlier in the day.
Despite Forest’s solid form, Arsenal have had the upper hand in recent meetings, winning their last five home encounters against Forest in all competitions, with the most recent draw coming in 1995. Forest will be eager to change that history as they head south with a strong record in tow.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had hoped for an injury-free return from the international break, even saying he would be "praying" for it, but unfortunately, his wishes weren't granted. Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice both withdrew from the England squad, while Leandro Trossard picked up an injury while playing for Belgium.
However, it seems neither Saka nor Rice should miss Saturday's match, and Arteta provided encouraging updates on Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Trossard on Friday. On the downside, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) remain sidelined.
The Gunners will also have to cope with Ben White being out for a few months after surgery. This could mean Jurrien Timber returning to his preferred right-back role, allowing Oleksandr Zinchenko to step in at left-back, unless Calafiori is deemed fit enough to play.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest have fewer injury worries. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo only has long-term absentees Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahim Sangare (thigh) to manage, though Sangare could return this month.
There may be some concern over Murillo and top scorer Chris Wood, both of whom traveled far for World Cup qualifiers. However, Murillo didn't play during his Brazil call-up and should be ready to start at the Emirates. If Wood is unavailable, Taiwo Awoniyi would be a capable replacement, though Santo will likely try to keep Wood in the lineup, given his crucial role in Forest's attack this season.
POSSIBLE LINE -UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Dominguez, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Arsenal 2-1 Nottingham Forrest
After a much-needed domestic break, both teams should be feeling refreshed and ready for action, with Forest’s impressive away form giving them a glimmer of hope for a surprise result at the Emirates.
If Arsenal drop more points on Saturday, their title hopes could be all but over. However, with Odegaard orchestrating play once again, we believe Arteta’s side will manage to scrape through a close contest and reignite their faltering title challenge.
