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With Arsenal trailing leaders Liverpool by 11 points and Forest aiming to solidify their top-four position, this encounter promises excitement as the two teams need all three points.
Both teams come into this game on the back of defeats; with Arsenal being beaten at home by West Ham while Nottingham fell to Newcastle at St. James’ Park.
For Arsenal, any more points dropped will derail their already slim title hopes as they look to close the gap on Liverpool.
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal key information
• Date: Wednesday, February 26th, 2025
• Kick-off time: 19:30 GMT
• Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
• Referee: Andy Madley (on pitch)
• TV channels: Discovery+ UK (Gbr), TNT Sports 1 (Gbr), TNT Sports 2 (Gbr)Arsenal – 9/10
Nottingham Forest team news
Nuno Espirito Santo will have no injury worries as he has the full complement of his squad. Callum Hudson-Odoi played his first 90 minutes after recovering from a groin injury in mid-February.
The only absentee in the Forest squad will be backup goalkeeper Carlos Miguel who is out long-term due to a thigh injury.
Having seen West Ham trouble Arsenal at Emirates with a back three, Santo might consider a similar system which isn’t new to his Forest team.
Nottingham Forest expected line-up vv Arsenal (3-4-3)
Coach: Nuno Espírito Santo
Sels; Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato; Aina, Anderson, Dominguez, Williams; Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood
Arsenal team news
Myles Lewis-Skelly will miss the upcoming match against Nottingham after picking up a red card over the weekend. His absence potentially paves the way for Riccardo Calafiori to start as a left-back.
Lewis-Skelly joins a growing list of unavailable players for Arsenal, including Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus.
Ethan Nwaneri, who exited the game due to fatigue, is expected to be cleared for action. Meanwhile, manager Mikel Arteta faces a dilemma in reshuffling his lineup, with the underperforming Raheem Sterling being his most viable option to replace Merino, who was ineffective against West Ham.
Arsenal expected line-up v Nottingham Forest (4-3-3)
Coach: Mikel Arteta
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
H2H record
Nottingham Forest and Arsenal have a long-standing history, with their head-to-head encounters often producing intriguing contests. In their last nine meetings, Arsenal have dominated the fixture, winning six times compared to Nottingham Forest's three victories, with no matches ending in a draw. Across these games, Arsenal have scored 23 goals, significantly outpacing Forest's 8 goals.
Their most recent Premier League clash occurred earlier this season when Arsenal secured a comfortable 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium. However, Nottingham Forest will take confidence from their last home meeting with Arsenal in May 2023, where they earned a narrow 1-0 win to secure their Premier League survival.
Historically, Arsenal have had the upper hand in this fixture, but Nottingham Forest's resilience at home could make this encounter competitive.
With both teams currently occupying top-three positions in the Premier League standings, this match promises to be a high-stakes battle as they vie for Champions League qualification.
Odds for Nottingham Forest and Arsenal
This fixture presents a wonderful opportunity for Nottingham Forest to prove they can potentially push for second place or drop into the battle for top four.
With Manchester City, Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Chelsea all knocking the door for the third and fourth spots.
For Arsenal, it’s all about catching up as they trail their title rivals Liverpool 11 points and can’t afford any more slip-ups.
According to bet365, the odds for a Nottingham Forest win are 3/1, 13/5 for a draw, and 9/10 for an Arsenal win.
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.