Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Ange Postecoglou is Mikel Arteta’s surprise opponent in the dugout.

Arsenal welcome Ange Postecoglou back to the Premier League on Saturday. / Visionhaus/Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The Premier League returns after the September international break, with Arsenal’s intriguing clash against Nottingham Forest kicking off Gameweek 4.

One of the major events of the recent break was Forest’s decision to part ways with Nuno Espirito Santo off the back of a hugely successful 2024–25 campaign.

Ultimately, the deterioration of relationships between Nuno and Forest’s higher-ups cost the Portuguese his job, and Evangelos Marinakis has been flirting with Ange Postecoglou since he was ruthlessly sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

Thus, we don’t know exactly what to expect from the visitors at the Emirates, with new manager Postecoglou searching for his first victory over Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal were slenderly beaten by title rivals Liverpool before the break, and the manager’s supposedly cautious game plan was a major talking point ahead of the internationals. The Gunners require a return to winning ways on home soil here, with the champions boasting an early advantage at the summit.

Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to this Saturday lunchtime clash.

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What Time Does Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest Kick Off?

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Emirates Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 13
• Kick-off Time: 12.30 p.m. BST / 7.30 a.m. ET / 4.30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Darren England
• VAR: Andy Madley

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Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)

• Arsenal: 3 wins
• Nottingham Forest: 1 win
• Draws: 1

• Last meeting: Nottingham Forest 0–0 Arsenal (Feb. 26, 2025) - Premier League

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Current Form (All Competitions)

Arsenal	Nottingham Forest
Liverpool 1–0 Arsenal - 31/08/25	Nottingham Forest 0–3 West Ham - 31/08/25
Arsenal 5–0 Leeds - 23/08/25	Crystal Palace 1–1 Nottingham Forest - 24/08/25
Man Utd 0–1 Arsenal - 17/08/25	Nottingham Forest 3–1 Brentford - 17/08/25
Arsenal 3–0 Athletic Club - 09/08/25	Nottingham Forest 0–0 Al Qadsiah - 09/08/25
Arsenal 2–3 Villarreal - 06/08/25	Nottingham Forest 0–0 Fiorentina - 05/08/25

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How to Watch Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV channel/live stream
United States	fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, USA Network, Telemundo
United Kingdom	discovery+, Amazon Prime Video, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada, Amazon Prime Video
Mexico	Caliente TV, Amazon Prime Video

• MORE: Full list of Premier League broadcasters around the world

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Arsenal Team News

Cristhian Mosquera will fill in for William Saliba. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Arsenal have been boosted by the returns of Christian Nørgaard and Ben White to training, although the latter is the only one in Saturday’s matchday squad. Piero Hincapié, who joined the club on Deadline Day, could make his debut off the bench.

The Gunners are still without Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz in attack, while William Saliba misses out this weekend due to an ankle injury.

Cristhian Mosquera will fill in for the Frenchman alongside Gabriel, and there’s a first Arsenal start for Eberechi Eze down the left flank. He’ll function opposite Noni Madueke and flank another summer addition, Viktor Gyökeres.

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Arsenal Confirmed Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest

There’s no Saliba in central defence and Declan Rice is on the bench. / FotMob

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Nottingham Forest Team News

Ola Aina could be out for the rest of 2025. / Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Postecoglou has already been dealt a significant injury blow at the start of his tenure, as it’s been confirmed that right-back Ola Aina will undergo hamstring surgery to fix an issue he sustained on international duty.

Aina’s injury means summer arrival Nicolò Savano could enjoy a sustained run in the team, having joined the club from Juventus in the summer, but Neco Williams will fill in at right back against Arsenal. That allows Morato to come into the team on the opposite flank.

Nicolás Dominguez was added to Forest’s Europa League squad by Nuno before his departure, but the tenacious midfielder isn’t expected to be back in action until later in the autumn.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is ineligible to face his parent club.

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Nottingham Forest Confirmed Lineup vs. Arsenal

Ange Postecoglou’s first Forest XI. / FotMob

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Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest Score Prediction

Postecoglou suggested there will be no change in approach in his new role, but he surely must’ve learned from the success Spurs had during their Europa League run last season.

A pragmatic touch would serve the visitors well against an Arsenal team that will be keen to assert themselves on home soil, especially given the narratives that emerged after their Liverpool defeat.

While Ange is an easy manager to rally behind, this Forest squad were at one with their former boss. The drastic change is unlikely to return immediate rewards, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Gunners win this one with some comfort.

Prediction: Arsenal 3–1 Nottingham Forest

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