Match Preview: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest

22.11.2024
Written by Jacob Burt


We are looking to end a four-game winless run in the Premier League as we welcome Nottingham Forest to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Four consecutive Premier League games without success has left us nine points behind league leaders Liverpool and four points behind champions Manchester City.

High-flying Forest have been this season's surprise package. They survived relegation in the previous campaign and have made a hugely impressive start to the new season. They have the second-best away record in the league and will pose a real threat on Saturday.


Fabulous Forest

Forest's only league defeats have come at the City Ground when they faced Fulham and Newcastle. They head to the capital unbeaten on the road and bolstered by their remarkable win against Liverpool at Anfield in September.

New Zealand striker Chris Wood has netted eight goals already this season, with only Erling Haaland scoring more. Since Nuno Espirito Santo's appointment in December last year, Wood has 23 goals to his name.

Chris Wood won last month's Premier League Player of the Month award. The 32-year-old has become the first Nottingham Forest player and the first New Zealander to win the award.

Last season at the Emirates

We beat Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the season, making it back-to-back wins since their promotion to the Premier League.

Eddie Nketiah gave us the lead in the 26th minute through his powerful right-footed finish. However, the goal was made by Martinelli's excellent skill, which created the room for Nketiah to shoot.

Six minutes later, a stunner by Saka raised the roof and doubled our lead.

In the final ten minutes of the game, Anthony Elanga broke through on the counter-attack with his electrifying pace and found Awoniyi in the middle, which he poked home. This made for a nervy ending to the match, but we held on to the three points and started the season in perfect fashion.

What the managers say

Mikel Arteta

On Nottingham Forest's form: "They've been really good, really consistent. They've been tough against the best opposition especially, so big credit to Nuno [Espirito Santo] and the coaching staff for what they're doing."

On how Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are doing: "They have had their first partial session today, so very good as well."

On Ben White: "Ben is going to be out for months. We know that Ben is going to push every boundary, but it got to the point where we had to protect the player and we decided to do the surgery."

Nuno Espirito Santo

On facing Arsenal: "We always believe we can compete. We're going to face a good, tough team. We're going to compete doing the things we want, but it's going to be a tough game."

On if he's surprised with their start to the season: "From the outside it can be surprising, but for us? No. We work every day with them; we know the quality and talent they have, we demand a lot from them, but we have to stay humble and realise it's a very long and tough season."


Team News

Ben White is set for a stint on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery. Mikel announced he was "going to be out for months."

Leandro Trossard was forced off in the first half of Belgium's loss against Israel on Monday night. However, Mikel stated that "Trossard seems to be OK" and that he "trained this morning and seems to be feeling good."

The England duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were not called up by England due to their respective injuries. Mikel gave some good news regarding Saka and Rice by saying, "they have had their first partial session today."

Mikel suggested that Jurrien Timber "is in a good place" after missing our last Premier League match against Chelsea.

Riccardo Calafiori is expected to be in the matchday squad ahead of our clash with Forest on Saturday.

Nuno Espirito Santo said he is "managing some players" following the international break but did not give any further details.

Ibrahim Sangare and Danilo are long-term absentees.
 

Statistics and Facts

Nottingham Forest are winless in their last 13 away matches versus Arsenal in all competitions since their 3-1 top-flight victory at Highbury in March 1989.

Forest have won just two of their 14 Premier League encounters with Arsenal, with both triumphs coming at home in 1996 and 2023.

Bukayo Saka and Taiwo Awoniyi both scored home and away in our Premier League meetings last season.

This will be Mikel Arteta's 250th match in charge of Arsenal in all competitions. His win rate of 58.6% is the highest of any Arsenal manager to have taken charge of at least 50 games.

Forest are undefeated in seven away games since a 2-0 defeat at Everton in April.

The Tricky Trees have opened the scoring in 10 of their 11 league matches this season.

Forest have already equalled last season's total of four clean sheets in the league.


Match Officials

Simon Hooper will take charge of our clash with Nottingham Forest. He has not officiated one of our games this season, but he did oversee Forest's 1-1 draw with Wolves.

Simon Hooper refereed the reverse fixture last season, in which we won 2-1.

The last time Hooper took charge of a game for us was when we beat Chelsea 5-0 at home last season.

He averages 6 cards per game this season and has given out one red card.

Referee: Simon Hooper

Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Long

Fourth Official: Tony Harrington

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

Assistant VAR: Lee Betts