Two visits. 180 minutes. Not a single Arsenal goal.
That is how the champions have fared on their last two Premier League trips to the City Ground – and Nottingham Forest will be glad to see them back on Sunday.
Oliver Glasner's side have conceded just twice in three home league games this season.
Mikel Arteta's men arrive second in the table and fresh from a 3-0 Champions League win over Lille, but their last league trip ended in a 3-0 defeat at Brighton.
Here's everything you need to know.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – Match Facts
- Competition: Premier League, Matchday 7
- Date: Sunday 18 October 2026
- Kick-off: 4:30pm
- Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
Betting Odds
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Betting Odds – Premier League 2026/27
Result | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Nottingham Forest Win | 9/2 | 18.2% |
Arsenal Win | 6/10 | 62.5% |
Draw | 13/5 | 27.8% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Arsenal are the favourites to win this fixture at 6/10, while Nottingham Forest are the underdogs at 9/2 – a price well worth a look – and the draw is 13/5.
Early Payout
2+ Goals Ahead Early Payout
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How to Watch
How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday 18 October at the City Ground.
It's live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in both the UK and Ireland.
Head-to-Head
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Head-to-Head
Arsenal have found the City Ground a hard place to score lately.
Their last two league visits both finished 0-0 – in February 2025 and again in January this year.
Nottingham Forest also beat the Gunners 1-0 here in May 2023, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring the only goal on 19 minutes.
Across 109 meetings, according to 11v11, Arsenal have won 56, Forest 29 and 24 have finished level.
That overall record is one waiting to be chipped away at, and when Forest are the hosts there is nothing between the sides – 22 wins apiece and 10 draws.
Team News
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Team News
Nottingham Forest Team News
Igor Jesus is out for a few weeks with a calf injury – a player Oliver Glasner will be keen to have back, having scored the winner at Villa Park.
Nikola Milenković missed the trip to Selhurst Park with a bone bruise and is pushing to return. Nicolò Savona is still working his way back to fitness.
Arsenal Team News
William Saliba (back) has yet to play this season, and Christos Tzolis (hamstring) and Piero Hincapié (ankle) are also out.
Martín Zubimendi is a major doubt with an ankle problem, although Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday that he was much improved.
Neither side has a suspension.
Predicted Line-Ups
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Predicted Line-Ups
Nottingham Forest predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sels; Diomande, Murillo, Aina; Muñoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Delap.
Arsenal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Ødegaard, Madueke; Havertz.
Glasner can name the same side that started at Selhurst Park. If Milenković is fit, he or Jair Cunha could come into the back three. Igor Jesus misses out, leaving Liam Delap to lead the line.
Arsenal could be unchanged from the side that beat Leeds United last Saturday. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres both started against Lille, but neither has started a league game yet. With Saliba still out, Ezri Konsa continues alongside Gabriel.
Form Guides
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Form Guides
Nottingham Forest Form Guide
Nottingham Forest have already shown they can live with the best.
They led twice at Anfield before Liverpool levelled late, with Dan Ndoye finishing off a Morgan Gibbs-White pass and Gibbs-White converting a penalty himself.
At Villa Park, Liam Delap scored straight after the break, and Igor Jesus won it on 88 minutes.
At home, the back line has done its job – two goals conceded in three league games, and a clean sheet against Tottenham Hotspur.
The home goals have been slower to arrive, with all five of Forest's league goals coming on the road. Five points from six games is a slower start than Oliver Glasner would want, and Crystal Palace came from behind to win 3-1 last Sunday after Ndoye had struck inside three minutes.
Matz Sels, Neco Williams, Murillo and Gibbs-White have played every minute of the league season.
Arsenal Form Guide
Arsenal won their first four league games – 3-0 against Coventry City, 1-0 at Aston Villa, 2-1 against Chelsea and 2-0 at Sunderland.
The blip came at Brighton, where they were beaten 3-0 on 19 September.
They responded by coming from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 last Saturday, Riccardo Calafiori levelling on 62 minutes and Bruno Guimarães winning it on 70.
Lille were then beaten 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, with all three goals arriving inside seven minutes.
Bukayo Saka leads their league scoring with three. Mikel Arteta's side sit second on 15 points, with a trip to Bayern Munich to follow on Wednesday.
Betting Tips
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Betting Tips
Under 2.5 Goals – 20/23
Under 2.5 Goals at 20/23 has landed in all three of Nottingham Forest's home league games this season, and both of the last two meetings at the City Ground finished goalless.
Arsenal Under 1.5 Goals – 11/10
Arsenal have gone 180 league minutes without scoring here, and Forest have conceded just twice at home. Arsenal Under 1.5 Goals at 11/10 would also have landed in two of their three league away games this season.
Dan Ndoye Anytime Goalscorer – 5/1
Dan Ndoye is Forest's top league scorer with two, including an early goal at Selhurst Park last Sunday. At 5/1, Dan Ndoye Anytime Goalscorer is a big price.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal Prediction
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal have the stronger form, but they have not scored on their last two league trips to the City Ground, and Forest have been hard to break down at home. A share of the points looks the likeliest outcome.
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*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
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Dylan has forgotten more about the world of sports betting than many will ever know. Seven years in the game will give you that kind of perspective, and he brings that knowledge to the BOYLE Sports Blog. This long-suffering Mayo man has a particular passion for Gaelic football, American football and golf.
