Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Nottingham Forest are in desperate form as they chase points now with the visit of league leaders Arsenal to the City Ground on Saturday evening.

Kick-off date/time: 17 January 2026 at 5:30 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – NBC

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – Peacock & Universo

Nottingham Forest preview: Struggling Forest

Nottingham Forest come into this one on the back of a bit of a humiliation in the FA Cup last weekend as they suffered elimination at the hands of Championship side Wrexham, having been outplayed before losing on penalties after a slight fight back.

Forest have now managed just one victory in their last six matches across all competitions with that one win coming in fortuitous circumstances away at fellow strugglers West Ham United about a week and a half ago.

Arsenal preview: League leading Arsenal

Arsenal are at the top-of-the-table in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, with the latter restarting again this coming midweek, but they are fighting on all four fronts with FA Cup and EFL Cup runs, too.

The Gunners came from behind to hammer Portsmouth by four goals to one at Fratton Park in the FA Cup last weekend before a 3-2 win over Chelsea in the first-leg of their EFL Cup semi-final in a game in which they were by far the better side.

Nottingham Forest team news: Boly & Sangare back

Nottingham Forest remain without New Zealand international striker Chris Wood as alongside goalkeeper John, who has undergone knee surgery this midweek.

Experienced midfielder Ryan Yates has returned to training and is closing in on his comeback, while both Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare have returned from international duty with the Ivory Coast.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Unavailable: John (Injured), Zinchenko (Ineligible), Wood (Injured)

Questionable: Yates (Fitness)

Arsenal team news: Hincapie could return

In his pre-match press conference, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has suggested that one of his currently injured players could return and the assumption is that is Piero Hincapie.

That is because the Arsenal boss has said that fellow defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera, as well as youngster Max Dowman, are still 'weeks away'.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Unavailable: Mosquera (Injured), Calafiori (Injured). Dowman (Injured)

Questionable: Hincapie (Injured)

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal prediction

Sean Dyche is Nottingham Forest’s third manager of the campaign after the sackings of both Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou but the former Everton boss is coming under increasing pressure with both poor performances and results. There will be a belief they can at least make things awkward for the league leaders but Arsenal have to remain firm favourites to grind out yet another victory at the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal tip: Arsenal to win & under 3.5 goals