Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – stats, team news, line-ups
Returning to the stadium where their Premier League title dreams crashed and burned last season, Arsenal lock horns with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday evening.
The battle on the banks of the River Trent marks a milestone 105th meeting between both sides, but Arsenal have historically been the more dominant side in this fixture.
The Gunners have emerged on the winning side 53 times while losing just 29 (D22), although their recent results at City Ground give cause for cautious optimism from the club faithful.
Nonetheless, we expect fireworks in this fixture, and as always, seatsnet.com provides fans from both sides with a unique opportunity to purchase matchday tickets at competitive prices.
Forest were forced into a goalless stalemate with Championship outfit Bristol City in their FA Cup fourth-round meeting on Friday, and another difficult fixture is on the horizon with Arsenal preparing to storm City Ground.
The last time Forest hosted the Gunners, an early strike from Taiwo Awoniyi vanquished Arsenal’s dreams of a Premier League title once and for all while also ensuring survival for the Tricky Trees.
However, the Reds find themselves engulfed in yet another battle for survival after a disappointing start to the season under the leadership of Steve Cooper who masterminded Arsenal’s most recent demise at City Ground.
Since Forest replaced Cooper with Nuno Espirito Santo, the former Tottenham Hotspur gaffer has overseen a spate of end-to-end, goal-packed affairs in the Forest dugout.
A staggering 26 goals have been scored during his opening six fixtures at the helm, including five in their last Premier League showdown with Brentford.
The Tricky Trees were put to the sword by a 3-2 scoreline against the Ivan Toney-inspired Bees.
However, the striker’s comeback free-kick strike was clouded in controversy, as he appeared to reposition the ball while the Forest wall prepared themselves.
The defeat to Brentford bumped Forest to 16th place on the Premier League table, four points above 18th-placed Luton Town, who have a game in hand.
An FA Cup fourth-round replay with Bristol is on the cards owing to that uninspiring goalless draw, but a first Premier League home fixture of 2024 now awaits the Reds.
Meanwhile, Arsenal returned to winning and scoring ways with a five-star performance against Crystal Palace, battering their capital rivals 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
Gabriel Magalhaes began the goal rush in the first period, connecting with two corners to propel his side into a healthy lead.
Leandro Trossard contributed to the rout before Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to round off the scoring with a well-taken brace.
The five-goal haul matched Arsenal’s tally from their miserable seven-game run between December 9 and January 7, where only one of their seven contests ended in victory (D2, L4).
Having suffered a disappointing FA Cup third-round exit against Liverpool, Arteta’s troops have enjoyed the luxury of an extended rest before a return to the road.
They’ll be eager to halt a three-match winless streak (D1, L2), given they haven’t endured a longer run of fixtures without victory on their travels since Arteta’s early days in charge.
Arsenal have failed to secure victory on any of their last three visits to City Ground in all competitions (L3) and will be keen to avenge their most recent 1-0 defeat when both sides lock horns.
However, the north London giants accomplished a measure of revenge with a 2-1 win at the Emirates on the opening weekend of the 2023/24 season.
Match preview
Nottingham Forest
Forest head into this clash on the back of a paltry one win in their last four games in all competitions (D2, L1), but they’ll back themselves against Arsenal, having won their last three consecutive home meetings with the Gunners.
There’s a decent chance the game could spark into life in the second half, considering 22 of the 29 goals scored at City Ground this season have come after the break.
However, if the Reds are to achieve yet another eye-catching feat against Arteta’s troops, they’ll need to keep things tight at the back and ensure maximum concentration for the entire 90 minutes.
Arsenal
Arsenal have not scored more than a single goal in any of their last four away league games (W1, D1, L2), the longest such run since early 2020.
However, their five-goal haul against Palace should give the Gunners enough backing to flex their newfound goalscoring boots at City Ground.
Saka will undoubtedly be crucial to whatever annihilation Arsenal have planned for Forest, and he’ll be keen to impose himself early on, given six of his nine goals in all competitions this season have come in the first half.
Team News
Forest have more players (six) away at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) than any other side in the Premier League, meaning Ola Aina, Cheikhou Kouyate, Willy Boly, Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare, and Moussa Niakhate will all be missing for the visit of Arsenal.
Several clubmates will go head-to-head when Senegal face hosts Ivory Coast in the round of 16 on Monday night, but that hardly leaves the defeated players enough time to make the Arsenal clash.
Taiwo Awoniyi remains sidelined with a groin injury until February, while Nuno Tavares won’t be able to face his parent club.
Felipe is unlikely to be available, but there is optimism that Anthony Elanga could recover from his hamstring injury in time to make the Tuesday contest.
For Arsenal, Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu are away on international duty with Egypt and Japan, respectively.
Egypt were eliminated from AFCON on Sunday night, so it remains to be seen if Elneny will return on time to face Forest on Tuesday.
Long-term absentees Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira are tentatively inching towards full fitness, but Jurrien Timber still has some way to go.
Declan Rice and Gabriel both sustained knocks in the 5-0 thumping of Palace and have missed training sessions leading up to the Forest clash as doubts loom over their availability.
However, Arteta has played down the severity of either injury.
Nottingham Forest potential line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Matt Turner; Gonzalo Montiel, Andrew Omobamidele, Murillo, Harry Toffolo; Orel Mangala, Ryan Yates; Morgan Gibbs-White, Danilo, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Chris Wood.
Arsenal potential line-up:
(4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz; Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.
We Say: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Arsenal
Arsenal may be 13 places and 23 points better off than Forest in the Premier League table, but the City Ground has not been a welcoming venue for the Gunners in recent meetings.
However, Forest have been porous in defence, and Arsenal have the well-rested players to take advantage, especially if they can break the deadlock early.
