Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Premier League lineups, team news, confirmed starting teams

Arsenal will move nine points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League if they beat Nottingham Forest away on Saturday.

In the first game of the weekend in the top flight, the Cityzens surprisingly lost 2-0 at Manchester United in Michael Carrick’s first match as interim manager of their neighbours until the end of the season.

Fourth-bottom Forest started Saturday seven points ahead of West Ham immediately behind them, although the Hammers took an early lead at Tottenham in their game earlier on Saturday.

As well as team news below, you can follow 101GreatGoals.com’s live updates from Forest vs Arsenal in the Premier League here.

Nottingham Forest starting lineup vs Arsenal

Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare makes his return following his Africa Cup of Nations 2025 campaign with Ivory Coast, but defender Willy Boly, who was also part of the squad, is not in the hosts’ squad.

Omari Hutchinson makes way for Sangare from the 2-1 win at West Ham on January 6.

Goalkeeper John Victor and striker Chris Wood (both knee) remain out. Midfielder Ryan Yates is on the bench following a hamstring issue.

Nottingham Forest starting XI: Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams, Elliot Anderson, Ibrahim Sangare, Nicolas Dominguez, Morgan Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus, Callum Hudson-Odoi

Forest substitutes: Angus Gunn, Morato, Taiwo Awoniyi, Douglas Luiz, Dan Ndoye, Omari Hutchinson, Ryan Yates, James McAtee, Nicolo Savona

Arsenal starting lineup vs Forest

Goalkeeper David Raya and forwards Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli come in as Arsenal make three changes from their 3-2 win at Chelsea in the EFL Cup semi-finals first leg on Wednesday.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard move to the bench. Winger Max Dowman is out with an ankle injury but defender Cristhian Mosquera is back among the substitutes following the same issue.

Full-back Riccardo Calafiori is out with an unspecified issue and defender Piero Hincapie has a hamstring problem.

Arsenal starting XI: David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz, Myles Lewis-Skelly

How to watch Forest vs Arsenal: TV channel, live online stream

Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:30 GMT (12:30 ET / 09:30 PT), with live coverage in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.

TNT Sports costs £29.99 a month through Discovery Plus+, which includes Eurosport and entertainment and is available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.

Forest vs Arsenal stats

• Forest have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League games against Arsenal
• Both exceptions have come at the City Ground since their return to the division in 2022 (1-0 in May 2023, 0-0 in February 2025)
• Only West Ham (8) and Wolves (8) have lost more Premier League home games this season than Nottingham Forest (6)
• That represents the Tricky Trees’ joint-most defeats in their opening 10 home matches of a league campaign, while only in 1908/09 have they ever lost as many as seven of their first 11
• They have lost six of their 10 Premier League home games this season (W3 D1), which is one more than they lost at the City Ground in the whole of last season (W9 D5 L5)
• Forest have also conceded more home goals this term (17) than in 2024/25 (16)
• Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, which is their longest run of league shutouts against the Tricky Trees
• Following a 0-0 at home to Liverpool in their last Premier League game, Arsenal could fail to score in consecutive league games for the third time since 2022/23
• On both occasions when that happened, the second game came at Nottingham Forest (May 2023, February 2025)
• Excluding penalties, Arsenal have scored more set-piece goals than any other side in the Premier League this season (14), while only Bournemouth (14) have conceded more from set plays than Forest (13)
• The Gunners are the only side not to have trailed by at least two goals in a Premier League game this season, last doing so at Liverpool last May
• Forest manager Sean Dyche has never seen his sides score more than once in a Premier League game against Arsenal, netting eight goals in 19 meetings
• The Englishman has won two of these 19 games, with Burnley in December 2020 and Everton in February 2023
• Morgan Gibbs-White has scored in his last two Premier League games and is Nottingham Forest’s highest league scorer this season with five goals
• Gibbs-White is one goal or assist away from becoming the first Forest player to register 50 goal involvements in the Premier League (22 goals, 27 assists)
• No player has been directly involved in more shots following a ball carry in the Premier League this season than Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (33 – 19 shots, 14 chances created)

Premier League results and fixtures this weekend

Saturday’s action began with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu scoring in United’s first home league match since the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim.

All matches start at 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT unless stated otherwise.

Saturday, January 17

Man United 2-0 Man City

Chelsea vs Brentford

Leeds United vs Fulham

Liverpool vs Burnley

Sunderland vs Crystal Palace

Tottenham vs West Ham

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal (17:30)

Sunday, January 18

Wolves vs Newcastle (14:00)

Aston Villa vs Everton (16:30)

Monday, January 19

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Bournemouth (20:00)