Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Arsenal travel to the City Ground on Sunday to close out the weekend’s Premier League fixtures, with Mikel Arteta’s side looking to maintain their strong start to the season.

Although the Gunners have yet to consistently reach the heights of their title-winning campaign last year, five victories from their opening six matches have kept them firmly in the hunt.

They sit second in the standings heading into the weekend, and with league-leaders Manchester City facing the prospect of a points deduction, Arsenal could yet see their position improve without needing to make up much ground on the pitch.

For Nottingham Forest, the priority is finding a way to turn promising displays into victories. Oliver Glasner’s side remain in the bottom half of the standings and need to start picking up points to avoid being dragged further down the table.

Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal Score Prediction

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Arsenal have yet to find consistent rhythm following their defeat to Brighton, but Arteta’s side have still managed to get results. The Gunners recovered from a slow start to overcome Leeds before securing a comfortable Champions League victory over Lille.

Forest, by contrast, head into this contest looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats against Coventry City and Crystal Palace. Their loss to Palace will be particularly frustrating, as they controlled much of the first half but squandered several opportunities before eventually being punished for their lack of cutting edge.

Recent history suggests Arsenal could face another stubborn afternoon at the City Ground. The Gunners have been held to goalless draws on their previous two visits, and their occasional struggles in front of goal this season may offer Forest encouragement. Aside from the Palace setback, Forest have generally looked organized defensively and will likely prioritize keeping Arsenal at bay.

However, Arsenal do possess the individual quality to find a breakthrough, even if they have to work hard for it.

• Eze in the Spotlight: Eberechi Eze was Arsenal’s standout performer against Lille, using his creativity and tendency to cut inside from the left to cause problems for the French side. With Christos Tzolis still sidelined through injury, Eze could once again be crucial against Forest. A potential battle with his former Crystal Palace teammate Daniel Muñoz could also give the Arsenal midfielder opportunities to exploit space, particularly if the Colombian pushes forward from his defensive position.
• Raya Could Be Kept Busy: Nottingham Forest have registered a total of 60 shots across their last three matches in all competitions, suggesting David Raya could face a demanding afternoon at the City Ground. Arsenal’s goalkeeper has, however, enjoyed considerable success against Forest, keeping four consecutive clean sheets in his last four meetings with them.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0–1 Arsenal

Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal

Forest are managing several injury concerns heading into their clash with Arsenal.

Striker Igor Jesus is ruled out through injury, as is Nicolò Savona, while Nikola Milenković is also unlikely to return after spending a few weeks on the sidelines.

The biggest blow, however, could be Morgan Gibbs-White. Having suffered a minor muscle injury against Crystal Palace, his potential absence would be difficult to overcome. Gibbs-White has created the most big chances (seven) and open-play chances (15) of any Forest player in the league this season, while only Pascal Groß (18) has created more chances overall heading into the weekend.

His absence could pave the way for Gustavo Sá to earn a start.

Nottingham Forest predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-4-2-1): Sels; Cunha, Diomande, Murillo; Muñoz, Schalger, McAtee, Williams; Ndoye, Sá; Delap.

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest

Arsenal also have several selection headaches to contend with.

William Saliba remains sidelined by a back injury, while Piero Hincapié is unavailable after suffering an ankle problem against Leeds. Christos Tzolis is another absentee, having sustained a hamstring injury while representing Greece during the international break.

Martín Zubimendi is a more uncertain case. The midfielder picked up an injury in the same incident as Hincapié, but his recovery has progressed sufficiently to leave the door open for a possible return.

Should Zubimendi miss out, Declan Rice and Bruno Guimarães could form the midfield partnership in front of a reconfigured defense. Ezri Konsa is expected to join Gabriel Magalhães at center back, while Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze could operate behind Kai Havertz in attack.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimarães, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Havertz.

What Time Does Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal Kick Off?

• Location: Nottingham, England
• Stadium: City Ground
• Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
• Kickoff Time: 4:30 p.m. BST / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Michael Oliver

How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal on TV, Live Stream