NafisaNottingham Forest are back at the City Ground on Wednesday night as they host Arsenal, whose title hopes are beginning to fade in the Premier League.
The Gunners saw their long unbeaten streak come to an end against West Ham United over the weekend, and with Liverpool securing a historic win at Manchester City on Sunday, Arsenal now find themselves 11 points behind the league leaders.
Despite this setback, Mikel Arteta remains defiant, insisting that his side is far from giving up on the season. However, they face a stern test midweek.
Forest, despite consecutive losses, still occupy third place in the table, though the standings remain tight. Fulham, currently tenth, are just eight points behind Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Their home form has been a major strength this season, with only two losses and ten goals conceded in 12 matches. They put Brighton to the sword in their last home game earlier this month and have the opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal to just three points with a victory on Wednesday.
Forest continue to have a mostly fit squad, with Ibrahim Sangare and Danilo making their returns in recent weeks.
The only player unavailable is back-up goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, while Taiwo Awoniyi, who was back among the substitutes last weekend, could feature with a protective mask if he plays against Arsenal.
Ryan Yates is expected to return in midfield alongside the impressive Elliot Anderson.
Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
As for Arsenal, Ethan Nwaneri was forced off in the second half of their recent defeat but is expected to be available after Arteta provided a positive update post-match.
Ben White made his first appearance since November but only played a short spell, making it unlikely he will start at the City Ground.
Raheem Sterling, who has a strong record against Forest, could return to the lineup, while Mikel Merino may drop deeper into midfield, allowing Leandro Trossard to operate as a false nine against Forest’s robust defense.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined, while Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling.
Score Prediction
Arsenal’s struggles against compact, physical defensive setups were evident again over the weekend, and they will face another tough challenge on Wednesday night.
While Forest were poor defensively for a half against Newcastle, they are a much stronger side at home. The City Ground has been a fortress this season, making it a difficult place for visiting teams to claim victory.
Arsenal’s defensive organization should prevent Forest from running away with the game, but the hosts may only need one key moment to secure all three points.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Arsenal
Arsenal’s Midweek Challenge
After a frustrating loss to West Ham, Arsenal now face a daunting midweek fixture.
Mikel Arteta has emphasized that his team remains in the title race, despite many now viewing Liverpool as the clear favorites following the latest round of results.
With several key injuries in attack, Arsenal face an uphill battle, especially after seeing their gap to the league leaders widen following Liverpool’s win at the Etihad.
Now, they must navigate a difficult trip to a Forest side that thrives on home turf and will be eager to capitalize on Arsenal’s vulnerabilities.
Arsenal’s Potential XI for the Match
GK: David Raya – Couldn’t keep a clean sheet last time out, but his direct competitor for the Golden Glove, Matz Sels, also failed to add to his tally.
RB: Jurrien Timber – Has been heavily relied on this year and may start again as White continues his return to full fitness.
CB: William Saliba – His pace at the back will be crucial against Forest’s fast attackers.
CB: Gabriel – Likely to be in a physical battle with Chris Wood, who is expected to lead the line for Forest.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori – Will need a better performance after struggling last weekend. Plays by default due to Lewis-Skelly’s suspension.
DM: Declan Rice – Had a poor outing against his former side, and Arteta might reconsider his attacking responsibilities.
CM: Mikel Merino – West Ham handled him well last time, but he could be more influential in a deeper role this match.
CM: Martin Odegaard – Has faced criticism from fans and needs a big performance, though Arteta has publicly backed him.
RW: Ethan Nwaneri – Luckily, his injury wasn’t serious, and he should be fit to start.
ST: Leandro Trossard – Arteta may opt for a more fluid front line rather than trying to match Forest’s physicality.
LW: Raheem Sterling – Has a solid record against Forest and may get another chance to prove his worth despite struggling in his loan spell so far.
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