Arsenal and Nottingham Forest face off at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with both teams looking to bounce back into form. Both sides enter the match after recent setbacks, making for an intriguing clash.
Arsenal were tipped for Premier League glory, but they are currently sat in fourth place, a whopping nine points away from Liverpool at the summit. They have struggled to replicate their early-season form, failing to win their last four Premier League games.
A string of underwhelming performances has seen them slip down the table, leaving them fighting for a place in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s side is up against Nottingham Forest, who are flying high in the Premier League. Even after the loss to Newcastle United before the international break, they sit in fifth place, exceeding all expectations.
Despite their impressive form, they face a tough test against Arsenal, who will be eager to bounce back on home soil. They did beat Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal must be wary.
While the return of Martin Odegaard has provided a spark, the Gunners still face challenges in both attack and defence. The availability of Leandro Trossard for Arsenal remains uncertain. Riccardo Calafiori (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are in the same situation.
Arsenal will also be without Ben White, and there are lingering questions about the fitness of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, but the influential duo should be fit to start. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are missing Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare.
Arsenal have a strong home record, but Forest have been impressive on the road. This clash promises to be tight. However, the history books favour Arsenal in this tie.
The Gunners have won three out of four Premier League meetings with the Tricky Trees since they achieved promotion in 2022, losing only once to Forest in May last year.
Arsenal Predicted Starting Line-up
(4-3-3): David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli.
