Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways by hosting Nottingham Forest at the Emirates. The Gunners ended their perfect start to the Premier League campaign with a defeat at the hands of Liverpool, courtesy of Szoboszlai’s spectacular free kick.
Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, will want to enjoy a strong start under new boss Ange Postecoglou following Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure. They currently sit at 10th in the league with 4 points from their first three games of the season.
Match Details
- Fixture: Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest
- Date: 13 September 2025
- Time: 12:30 PM BST / 5:00 PM IST
- Venue: The Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom
- Competition: Premier League
Where To Watch
- UK: TNT Sport
- Australia: Stan Sport
- India: JioHotstar, Star Sports Select HD
- Canada: DAZN, Fubo
- USA: NBC Sports
Match Preview
Arsenal: The Gunners
Arsenal currently sits in third place in the Premier League, behind reigning champions Liverpool and Chelsea. Arsenal picked up three points in their season opener away at Manchester United despite a disappointing performance, and followed it up with a dominant 5-0 victory at home against Leeds. Mikel Arteta will be unhappy as his side dropped crucial points against Liverpool, which could prove costly in their hunt for the Premier League title.
Arsenal Strengths
Arsenal have added plenty of depth in their squad, something that they lacked last season. They enjoyed a very strong window, bringing in a much-needed striker in Viktor Gyokeres, along with Eberechi Eze, among others. Arsenal will continue looking to feed off their strengths and attack set pieces.
- Key Players: Gabriel Magalhães (Defender), Eberechi Eze (Attacker), Declan Rice (Midfielder)
- New Signings: Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke, Christian Nørgaard, Martin Zubimendi.
Nottingham Forest: New Manager Bounce
Nottingham Forest are set to embark upon a new era under Ange Postecoglou after parting ways with Nuno Espirito Santo. Ange Postecoglou endured a difficult time in the league last season, finishing 17th with Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite bringing European glory to Tottenham, Ange was sacked by the club for his performances in the league. Nottingham Forest and Ange will look to get back to winning ways, something both parties were heavily praised for in the media not too long ago.
Nottingham Forest Strengths
Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest were the biggest surprise package in the league. They made a mockery of most pundits who expected the side to be relegated. However, not even Forest fans would have expected them to be in contention for Champions League qualification.
The main factor for their success in the last campaign was the formidable defence, as most attackers struggled to break down Murillo and Milenkovic’s partnership. At the other end of the pitch, Chris Wood was clinical in front of goal.
- Key Players: Chris Wood (Attacker), Elliot Anderson (Midfielder), Milenkovic (Defender)
- New Signings: Igor Jesus, Dan Ndoye, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee, Douglas Luiz, Dilane Bakwa
Predicted Lineup
- Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest (4-3-3): Raya (GK); Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze.
- Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Sels (GK); Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Head-to-Head Stats
- Premier League Matches Played: 16
- Arsenal Wins: 10
- Draws: 4
- Nottingham Forest Wins: 2
Players to Watch Out For
Arsenal
- Gabriel Magalhães: The Brazilian centre back is a staple piece of Mikel Arteta’s defensive setup. Apart from his defensive solidity, Gabriel has also established himself as a major threat from set-pieces. Last season, he scored five goals for the club and earned a spot in the PFA Team of the Year.
- Declan Rice: The English midfielder provides much-needed stability to Arsenal’s midfield. Over the years, Rice has not only been excellent for Arsenal but has earned a name as one of the best midfielders in the world. With Saka’s absence, he is also in charge of set-pieces and can provide excellent deliveries.
- Eberechi Eze: Arsenal poached Eze on deadline day away from rivals Tottenham Hotspur following an injury to Kai Havertz. Eze was excellent for Crystal Palace last season and was the club’s talisman in their FA Cup triumph. He also scored eight goals and provided eight assists in the league last season.
Nottingham Forest
- Chris Wood: Nottingham Forest will not expect to create many chances in front of goal against Arsenal. They will rely upon their star striker, Chris Wood, to be clinical and find the back of the net. He scored a whopping 20 Premier League goals last season, securing Forest a spot in Europe.
- Elliot Anderson: Elliot Anderson will be high on adrenaline right now, having made his first appearance for the England national team. This call-up was based on his strong performances last season with Nottingham Forest. Anderson looked right at home in the England set-up and will want to continue his excellent form against Arsenal.
- Nikola Milenkovic: Milenkovic was a key player under Nuno Espirito Santo’s charge for European qualification. His defensive partnership with Murillo established Forest as a side difficult to break down. Milenkovic’s aerial presence will also be vital in defending Arsenal’s dominance from set pieces.
Also read: Premier League 25/26: Top 5 Things to Look Out for this Weekend
What To Expect?
We can expect Arsenal to dominate the majority of the possession and chance creation. However, Nottingham Forest’s defence will also be difficult to break down. Forest may now adopt a braver and more attacking approach under Ange.
The game may see Eze’s debut for the Gunners, and we can expect him to impress in the absence of Bukayo Saka. If Nottingham Forest plays a high line as Tottenham did under Ange, then we can expect Eze to regularly exploit the space on the left, especially with Ola Aina’s absence due to injury.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest may take some time to find their feet under the new head coach, Ange Postecoglou, and Arsenal may prove to be a test too difficult for his first game in charge. Arsenal should dominate the match and may secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Conclusion
As Arsenal prepare to face a refreshed Nottingham Forest, the clash promises to be a test of athleticism, resilience, and tactical brilliance. Arsenal will look to secure a dominant result against this Forest side to brush away the defeat at Liverpool last time out. Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, face a different test. Players will be eager to impress the new head coach, but may also struggle to cope with the manager’s new system
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
