Prediction: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: Betfair

Separated only by goal difference in the Premier League table, struggling Arsenal host an in-form Nottingham Forest in an intriguing clash at the Emirates on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side are winless in their last four league outings, while their visitors arrive in North London following a home defeat to Newcastle United – their only second loss from 11 matches.

Arsenal

Once considered strong contenders for glory in the 2024-25 season, Arsenal now face an uphill battle to secure a Champions League spot, let alone challenge Manchester City and Arne Slot’s dominant Liverpool, based on their first 11 games.

Martin Odegaard’s return to the starting XI against Chelsea slightly boosted Arsenal’s creativity, with his precise cross setting up Gabriel Martinelli’s goal. However, defensive frailty allowed Pedro Neto ample space to net the equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

The international break may have come at the right time for Arsenal, who sit nine points off the top and only three points above Brentford in the lower half of the table. A significant turnaround is essential as winter approaches.

In their last seven outings across all competitions, Arsenal have managed just two wins—against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Preston North End in the EFL Cup—both of which were far from convincing.

Still, the Emirates has been a fortress for Arteta’s side, remaining unbeaten in eight straight Premier League home games, scoring multiple goals in all but one. Saturday’s clash marks Arteta’s 250th game in charge across all competitions.

Team News

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may have hoped for his players to emerge unscathed from the international break, but his hopes were dashed as Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice withdrew from England duty, while Leandro Trossard picked up an injury with Belgium.

Fortunately, neither Saka nor Rice is expected to miss Saturday’s game, and Arteta provided encouraging updates on Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Trossard. However, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) remain sidelined.

The Gunners will also be without Ben White for several months following surgery. As a result, Jurrien Timber is likely to shift to the right-back position, enabling Oleksandr Zinchenko to cover left-back if Calafiori is not deemed ready to play.

Nottingham Forest

Once regarded as one of Europe’s top defences, Arsenal now enter Saturday’s clash with a worse defensive record than Nottingham Forest, who have conceded just 10 goals – the second-best tally in the league behind Liverpool.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side allowed three of those goals in their gameweek 11 defeat to Newcastle, where Murillo’s first-half header was overturned by second-half strikes from Alexander Isak, Joelinton, and Harvey Barnes, marking Forest’s first league loss since late September.

Before falling to Newcastle, Forest had triumphed over Crystal Palace, Leicester City, and West Ham United. A win at the Emirates—or a draw if Chelsea lose to Leicester earlier—would propel the fifth-placed visitors above Arsenal into the top four.

Despite Arsenal’s impressive unbeaten home run, Forest arrive with their own seven-game unbeaten streak on the road in the league, having trailed for only 102 minutes and 34 seconds this season.

Forest lost both Premier League meetings with Arsenal 2-1 last term and have been defeated in their last five visits to the Emirates across all competitions, with their most recent positive result being a 1-1 draw in 1995.

Team News

Santo’s injury concerns are limited to long-term absentees Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahim Sangare (thigh), though the latter could return later this month.

Fitness checks may be needed for Murillo and Chris Wood, Forest’s eight-goal striker, after their long-haul travel for World Cup qualifiers. However, Murillo, who didn’t feature during his first Brazil call-up, is expected to start at the Emirates.

If Wood is unavailable, Taiwo Awoniyi would be a capable replacement, but Santo is likely to prioritize the inclusion of Wood, who has contributed over half of Forest’s Premier League goals this season.

Conclusion

This is likely to prove a much closer contest than anyone would’ve expected prior to season start. Playing under no pressure whatsoever, Forest have already proven they can hold their own against the best – they remain the only team to have beaten Liverpool in 2024/25, in any competition.

It’s a completely different story for Arsenal, who simply cannot afford not to win this game if they are to maintain any hope of getting back into the title race. The odds, of course, favour the Gunners, but Santo’s team will seek to frustrate them as much as possible. A single goal might well be enough to settle the outcome, at either end of the pitch.

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: Betfair