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The Premier League returns from a brief break for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The curtain goes up at the Emirates Stadium in North London, where Arsenal host Nottingham Forest in a clash you can follow live on television from 12:30 BST. Mikel Arteta's men are the pre-match betting favourites, but will they live up to expectations?
The Gunners and the Tricky Trees clash for the first time this season, and second in 2025. They played out a goalless draw at the City Ground back in February, but the locals take heart from a simple 3-0 win when Forest were last in town. Goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey, and Ethan Nwaneri secured all three points that day, and home fans hope for more of the same.
Betting traders working at the leading online gambling apps price Arsenal as red-hot favourites to win, moving their tally to nine from a possible dozen. They suffered defeat last time out, but Flashscore's Frank Monkhouse expects Arsenal to bounce back to winning ways.
Keep reading as we analyse the stats, highlight the best betting odds, and offer our Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest preview and predictions.
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest tips
Under 2.5 goals @ 1/1 (bet365)
Arsenal win to nil @ 6/5 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Gunners aiming for top spot
Arsenal started the season with a single goal: to go one better than last season and win the English Premier League. Fans are suffering a drought in North London, but the signs are promising following that near-miss. Will Arsenal finally improve their place and become champions of England once more? The early signs are certainly promising, with Arsenal winning two of their opening three games this term. They're three points behind current pace-setters Liverpool, and one behind Chelsea in second.
Arsenal opened with a pair of wins in their first two matches. They beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford, taking the spoils thanks to a winning goal from Calafiori with 13 minutes on the clock. The Gunners then shot down Leeds on matchday two, hammering the Championship winners 5-0 at this venue. The victors made a mockery of what had been billed as a competitive game and potential banana skin, racing into a 2-0 lead in the first half.
Despite that strong start, Arsenal lost their third match when slipping to a 1-0 loss at Anfield in their most recent outing. Arteta's side aimed to beat the champions on their own patch, proving their title credentials, but were undone by a late goal from Szoboszlai. It was a stunning strike and worthy of winning any football match. Saturday's opponents aren't as strong as Arne Slot's champions, and I'm picking the home team to bounce back and secure an important win before a global audience.
Tip: Arsenal win @ 2/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Arsenal beats Forest, you land the profits from this bet.
Low-scoring match expected
Nottingham Forest travel from the City Ground to the UK capital, sitting in tenth position following an unconvincing start to the term. Their stats show one win, a draw, and a defeat in their opening three matches, the kind of start you'd expect from a club dealing with off-field issues and a lack of stability. The board, coaching staff, and the fans must unite if Forest are to have a successful season and stay in the top division. A long road lies ahead.
The Tricky Trees opened with a 3-1 home win over Brentford thanks to a near-perfect performance. Nuno Espirito Santos guided his men to an eye-catching start, with goals from Ndoye and a Wood double ensuring the result was wrapped up by half-time. The Bees hit back through an Igor Thiago penalty, but it was little more than a consolation goal, and didn't take the shine off Forest's win.
Since beating Brentford, the visitors have secured just one of the six points available to them. They drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace, fighting back from 1-0 down at the break to ensure a share of the spoils. They then returned to the City Ground, where they suffered a three-goal loss to West Ham on the final day of August. Having scored one goal in their previous two games, and Arsenal failing to find the net last time, I'm picking a low-scoring match. Back under 2.5 goals in Saturday's early kick-off.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals @ 1/1 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If the match produces fewer than three goals combined, you'll get the rewards.
A comfortable return to winning ways
Our third and final bet at the Emirates Stadium offers followers a play at higher odds. We're happy to follow the trends and back Arsenal to win to nil at a price that'll work as a single or in small weekend multiples. A bet on Arsenal to win to nil would've landed you a profit when they beat Man Utd and hammered Leeds United. It's also worth remembering that Forest failed to score in that heavy defeat to West Ham.
Need a little more convincing? The head-to-head stats show Forest didn't get off the mark in their two meetings with Arsenal last season. If the home team do as expected and score an early goal, they have the players and character to ensure a comfortable afternoon.
Tip: Arsenal win to nil @ 6/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You want the home team to win and Forest to draw a blank.
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest odds
Nottingham Forst @ 13/2 (bet365)
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.