Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 English Premier League

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Reigning Premier League champions Arsenal take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, with the hosts having lost their last two matches.

Kick-off date/time: 18 October 2026 at 4:30 pm

How to watch on TV & online: UK – Sky Sports & Sky Go / USA – NBCSN, Fubo & Peacock Premium

Nottingham Forest preview: Worrying trend

Nottingham Forest are looking to avoid a third straight Premier League defeat, having lost to Crystal Palace and Coventry in their last two encounters.

Oliver Glasner's side have tasted victory in just one of their seven matches across all competitions this season, although they have held Arsenal to draws in the Gunners' last two visits to Nottingham.

Arsenal preview: Back to winning ways in the Premier League

Arsenal came through a big test against Leeds last weekend, with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimaraes helping them to a 2-1 win after their opponents had initially gone ahead early in the second half.

On Tuesday, the Gunners made it two wins from two in the league phase of this season's UEFA Champions League by seeing off Lille 3-0, with Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka on the scoresheet.

Nottingham Forest team news: Gibbs-White concern

Morgan Gibbs-White has emerged as a doubt having not trained all week, and will need to prove his fitness in Saturday's training session if he is to feature against the Gunners the following day.

Nikola Milenkovic, who had been dealing with a bone bruise, may come into consideration having trained for the first time on Friday.

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sels; Aina, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi; Delap

Unavailable: Savona (Injured), Jesus (Injured)

Questionable: Milenkovic (Injured), Gibbs-White (Injured)

Arsenal team news: Hincapie sidelined

Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi both sustained injuries in a post-match session following the win against Leeds last week, and only the latter has a chance of making the trip to Nottingham.

Mikel Arteta has some decisions to make in defence with Yerson Mosquera fit again and Timber pushing for a start after performing well midweek.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Odegaard, Madueke; Havertz

Unavailable: Saliba (Fitness), Hincapie (Injured), Tzolis (Injured)

Questionable: Zubimendi (Injured)

Key stats

• Arsenal have won 11 of 18 Premier League meetings with Forest (D5 L2) and are unbeaten in the last six (W4 D2).
• Forest have failed to score in their last four Premier League games against Arsenal. The last two meetings at the City Ground both finished 0-0.
• Forest's last win in the fixture was 1-0 at the City Ground in May 2023.
• The sides' first Premier League meeting was on 17 October 1992, 34 years and a day before this match: Forest 0-1 Arsenal at the City Ground.
• Forest have scored in 13 consecutive away Premier League games, a club record (previous best: 12 in 1995). But they have failed to score in their last three home games.
• Forest are winless in five home Premier League games and have lost their last two games overall.
• Arsenal's 15 points from six games matches 2013/14 and 2022/23; their only better starts were 2004/05 and 2007/08 (16 each).
• Arsenal won 11 of 19 away games last season (D5 L3), but lost 3-0 at Brighton on their most recent away trip.
• Coming into Matchweek 7, Arsenal have kept three clean sheets; Forest have kept one, and their matches have averaged 2.17 goals.
• Kick-off quirk: since 2014/15, Forest have not won any of their five Premier League games kicking off at 16:30 on a Sunday (D2 L3). Arsenal have won 31 of 61 (D16 L14).
• Arsenal have the best October record of any current Premier League club, winning 62.0% of their games in the month (75 of 121).

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal prediction

Aside from a blip against on-fire Brighton prior to the international break, Arsenal appear to have continued where they left off last season, with the reigning league champions looking every bit a side capable of defending their Premier League title.

The Gunners have actually struggled to break Nottingham Forest down at the City Ground in recent times, with the last two Premier League encounters at this stadium ending goalless. However, Forest don't exactly look watertight at the moment having conceded in six of their seven all-competition matches in 2026-27.

Arsenal are playing with plenty of confidence at the moment and it seems likely they will break down the rearguard of the hosts.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal tip: Arsenal to win