ENGLISH PREMIER BETTING PREVIEW - NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS ARSENAL

English Premier

2026-10-18 - Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 18th October 2026 - Kick Off 4:30pm
This game is live on TV

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Nottingham Forest

The return to Selhurst Park began just as Oliver Glasner would have hoped, but he ended up being very disappointed as a wasteful Nottingham Forest were punished in a 3-1 defeat. The manager spoke after the game about the positives of the performance and is convinced his team will win a lot of matches with that kind of level produced every week, but Nottingham Forest fans will want to start seeing points on the board rather than praise in the media room.

An ambitious owner has shown his patience can be tested if results are not as strong as he expected and Nottingham Forest head into the next Premier League weekend in 15th place in the Division with just 5 points secured. The Tricky Trees not only have a disappointing 0-1-2 record at the City Ground, but they have yet to score a goal here.

Nottingham Forest have won just 1 of the 7 games played in all competitions under the new manager and the real disappointment is that they have suffered consecutive Premier League defeats to Coventry City and Crystal Palace since winning at Villa Park. The 0-1 defeat to The Sky Blues means Nottingham Forest have failed to win any of 4 games at the City Ground in all competitions this season and have lost 3 of those.

Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic and Igor Jesus are all doubts for this fixture.

Arsenal

Winning football matches is the ultimate ambition for any team and Arsenal have returned from the international break with victories over Leeds United and Lille. However, Mikel Arteta may be a little concerned with the slower than expected starts as Arsenal have scored all 5 goals in those two matches in the second half.

The manager will know that the intensity has to begin much more quickly ahead of a difficult week in which Arsenal travel to play in the Premier League and then the Champions League. Three points last Saturday means Arsenal remain 2nd in the Premier League table and 3 points behind Manchester City, who reopened the gap on Sunday with a win at Anfield. The Gunners have a 2-0-1 away record in the top flight and will be travelling for the first time since the unbeaten run was ended at the Amex Stadium.

Arsenal have won 9 of the 10 games played in all competitions in the 2026/27 season and there is a real confidence within the camp, although the exception came in the last away Premier League game played. That fixture just before the international break saw Arsenal thumped 3-0 at Brighton and ended a run of 6 straight away victories in a row.

Piero Hincapie and William Saliba may both be targeting returns after the November international break. Martin Zubimendi and Christos Tzolis will be expected to return before that, but both are set to miss this trip to the East Midlands.

Head to Head

Arsenal took four points from Nottingham Forest last season, but the points were shared at the City Ground.

The fixture in January ended goalless here and that is the same result as the previous season.

Nottingham Forest had won 3 in a row at home against Arsenal in all competitions before a 1-2 defeat in January 2024 and then the back to back goalless draws.

Prediction

When you consider the way Arsenal have opened this season, you cannot be surprised that they are favourites to win at the City Ground and a pretty healthy favourite too.

A number of key players were rested in the comfortable 3-0 win over Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday and Arsenal's squad will be motivated to bounce back from the last away fixture that ended in a defeat by that same scoreline at Brighton.

Arsenal will take great encouragement from the way Nottingham Forest have defended under Oliver Glaser as the new manager continues to try and get his ideas across to his players. There will be chances for the defending Champions, although Glasner has made it clear that he has been happy with the way Nottingham Forest have been approaching matches and that a bit of fortune behind his players will see them pick up real form.

However, the majority of the stronger performances have been away from the City Ground and Nottingham Forest have struggled in front of an expectant home crowd.

Not only have they not won here this season, but Nottingham Forest have not scored a goal in the 4 matches played at the City Ground in all competitions. That has to be a concern ahead of playing an opponent that prides itself on putting together clean sheets and Arsenal have not conceded here in the previous two visits.

They have not scored either, but Arsenal have options in the forward line that makes them dangerous and that line is led by Kai Havertz.

The German was available last week having returned early from international duty and he continued his streak of having at leat one Shot on Target in matches he has started.

It has been the case in all 6 Premier League games this season and makes it eight straight starts in which Kai Havertz has tested the opposition goalkeeper. He can continue that streak at the City Ground where Nottingham Forest have allowed 11 Shots on Target in 4 matches played here this season and Havertz looks a more appealing price than any of the traditional markets are offering, even as that price has dipped from where it opened.

The Pick :

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Kai Havertz Over 0.5 Shots on Target at 1.61 with Bet365 (Sub On Play On)