Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – Match Preview and Team Update

Premier League leaders Arsenal visit the City Ground this evening, looking to keep their six-point gap at the top of the table.

Mikel Arteta’s team comes in with strong momentum after a successful week in cup competitions, beating Portsmouth 4-1 in the FA Cup and securing a hard-fought 3-2 win against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. In contrast, Nottingham Forest faces a tough atmosphere following a penalty shootout loss to Wrexham in the FA Cup. Currently sitting 17th, just seven points above the relegation zone, manager Sean Dyche will be eager for a tough performance at home, where Forest has already lost six league games this season—one more than all of last season.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – Match Preview and Team News

• Date: Saturday, 17 January 2026
• Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
• Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
• Referee: Michael Oliver
• VAR: Darren England
• Last Meeting: Arsenal 3–0 Nottingham Forest, 13 Sept 2025, Premier League

Team News

Nottingham Forest

Sean Dyche’s squad has welcomed back Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangaré from AFCON duty. Captain Ryan Yates (hamstring) is back in training and will face a late fitness test. However, Chris Wood and John Victor are out after knee surgeries this week. Oleksandr Zinchenko cannot play against his parent club due to loan conditions. Igor Jesus is set to lead the attack after Arnaud Kalimuendo’s loan departure.

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta hinted at a possible defensive return, with Piero Hincapié (hamstring) likely to be fit after a late test. Riccardo Calafiori (muscle), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle), and Max Dowman (ankle) remain unavailable. David Raya is expected to start in goal, taking over from Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kai Havertz is available but may be managed due to his recent recovery from a knee injury.

Form

Nottingham Forest

Forest comes into this match in a difficult spot, having recorded six home league defeats this season, one more than all last season. They are looking to recover from a painful FA Cup exit to Wrexham, which has dampened spirits at the club. However, they are unbeaten in their last two home matches against Arsenal, with a 0-0 draw in February 2025 and a 1-0 win in 2023.

Arsenal

The Gunners are currently the team in form, enjoying a five-match winning streak away from home in all competitions. Arteta’s side has established a six-point lead at the Premier League summit and comes in with high confidence following wins over Portsmouth and Chelsea. Moreover, Arsenal has been solid defensively, the only Premier League team not to have trailed by two goals in a game this season. They aim for their fourth consecutive league clean sheet against Nottingham Forest.

Predicted Lineups

Nottingham Forest predicted XI: Sels; Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Domínguez; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Arsenal predicted XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Ødegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyökeres, Martinelli

How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal?

The match will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 16:30 GMT before the 17:30 kick-off.

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