Nottingham Forest host Arsenal at The City Ground on Sunday, October 18 (11:30 AM ET / 10:30 AM CT / 8:30 AM PT).
Nottingham Forest will check the teamsheet for the injured Igor Jesus (calf/shin/heel), the injured Nikola Milenkovic (knee) and the injured Nicolo Savona (knee), none of whom are available at the City Ground, leaving Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye and Liam Delap to carry the home side’s attacking threat. Arsenal travel without the injured William Saliba (lower back) and the injured Christos Tzolis (thigh), with the doubtful Piero Hincapie (ankle/foot) also touch-and-go, though Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori remain the spine of the visiting side.
On the back of five points from six games and a -three goal difference, Forest head into this one looking to arrest a run that includes defeats to Crystal Palace and Coventry City, while Arsenal’s 15 points and +5 difference from the same number of matches make them an awkward visit to navigate. The signs point to something scrappy at the City Ground, Forest set up to make life difficult without the firepower to turn containment into control, and Arsenal content to see out a tight, low-scoring afternoon rather than chase a flurry of goals.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Best Bets & Predictions
Forest's defensive strain meets Arsenal's control at the City Ground.
Our approach: we weigh points won, goal difference and the verified form string before every pick, so Arsenal's control and Forest's defensive strain carry more weight here than any single highlight-reel moment.
Odds correct at time of writing and shown in American format for illustration; your local odds may vary. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON).
Season Form & Standings
Nottingham Forest have taken 5 points from 6 games, winning 1, drawing 2 and losing 3, leaving a -3 goal difference as the early tell of their season. Arsenal, by contrast, have taken 15 points from 6 games, winning 5 and losing just 1, a +5 goal difference showing the gap between the sides.
Premier League
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 2 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 15 |
| Nottingham Forest | 15 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Predicted Lineups
Predicted XI — updated for the latest team news.
Nottingham Forest
3-4-2-1Arsenal
4-2-3-1Potential Match-Winners
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest): The attacking midfielder has created a team-high 17 chances for Forest this season, adding 1 goal and 2 assists from 540 minutes on the pitch.
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): Saka has scored 3 goals from 17 shots, 10 of them on target, making him Arsenal’s most direct route to goal.
- Kai Havertz (Arsenal): Havertz has 2 goals from 12 shots, 7 of which have been on target, in 501 minutes this season.
Recent Form
Nottingham Forest: D D W L L
- 2026-10-11: Crystal Palace 3-1 Nottingham Forest (L, away)
- 2026-09-19: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Coventry City (L, home)
- 2026-09-12: Aston Villa 1-2 Nottingham Forest (W, away)
- 2026-09-05: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham (D, home)
- 2026-08-29: Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest (D, away)
Nottingham Forest’s recent form reads D D W L L, with their only win in that spell a 2-1 victory away at Aston Villa.
Arsenal: W W W L W
- 2026-10-10: Arsenal 2-1 Leeds (W, home)
- 2026-09-19: Brighton 3-0 Arsenal (L, away)
- 2026-09-12: Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal (W, away)
- 2026-09-06: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (W, home)
- 2026-08-31: Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal (W, away)
Arsenal’s recent form reads W W W L W, with the sole blip a 3-0 loss away to Brighton.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Prediction
Forest’s set-piece threat through Murillo at the back and Gibbs-White’s creativity from midfield will give Arsenal some problems in bursts, but with 15 points and a +5 goal difference from 6 games, the visitors look equipped to find the single goal it takes to settle a low-scoring afternoon. Our Signal model has this finishing Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal, with Bukayo Saka the most likely source of the goal in a tense, under-2.5 affair.