Arsenal continue their relentless push at the top of the Premier League when they travel to the City Ground on Saturday to face Nottingham Forest. The Gunners, still competing across four fronts, head north buoyed by a narrow 3-2 win over Chelsea in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, while Forest are reeling from an early FA Cup exit at the hands of Wrexham.
Arsenal’s midweek triumph mirrored their five-goal win at Bournemouth, although Mikel Arteta’s side once again allowed the opposition back into the game. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho’s double kept Chelsea in touch, but the narrow victory ensures the Gunners remain favourites to progress to a long-awaited spring final at the Emirates in three weeks.
The win was also a personal milestone for Arteta, marking the first time his team has won a game in a two-legged semi-final after failing in eight previous attempts. Coupled with last weekend’s 4-1 FA Cup victory over Portsmouth, Arsenal have responded emphatically to their frustrating Premier League stalemate with Liverpool, which left them six points clear of title rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa.
With City facing Manchester United in the lunchtime derby, Arsenal will be expected to maintain their momentum. The Gunners are in sensational form, winning nine of their last ten matches across all competitions and remaining unbeaten in five successive away fixtures. Their attacking threat has been particularly impressive, scoring three or more goals in four of their last five road games.
Forest enter the clash under a cloud of disappointment after a dramatic FA Cup exit to Wrexham. A 3-3 draw was followed by a tense penalty shootout, where Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson were both denied by Arsenal academy graduate Arthur Okonkwo. The result marked Forest’s fifth loss in six matches across all competitions, a stark contrast to their morale-boosting 2-1 league win at West Ham the week before.
Sean Dyche’s side sits 17th in the table, seven points clear of relegation, but their record at the City Ground this season is concerning. They have already lost six Premier League matches at home — one more than the entirety of last season — and have yet to score against Arsenal in their last three league encounters, extending their longest-ever goalless streak against the Gunners.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal should have a near-full-strength squad available. William Saliba and Leandro Trossard returned from knocks to feature in the EFL Cup, though Piero Hincapie (thigh), Riccardo Calafiori (muscle), Max Dowman (ankle), and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) remain sidelined. Arteta is likely to select his strongest eleven to continue the winning run, though some rotation may come later for the Champions League clash with Inter Milan.
Viktor Gyokeres is expected to start again after a goal and assist at Stamford Bridge, while Gabriel Martinelli and goalkeeper David Raya may also return to the XI.
For Forest, Oleksandr Zinchenko is unavailable against his parent club, though the defender is already out of favour and could see his loan terminated. Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are back from AFCON, while veteran Ryan Yates is fit after a thigh injury. Chris Wood continues his recovery from a knee issue, and goalkeeper John Victor remains sidelined following minor surgery.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Nottingham Forest:Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Dominguez; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Arsenal:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
EXPERT PREDICTION
Nottingham Forest 1-3 Arsenal
