Arsenal aim to get back on track when they head to the East Midlands to face Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal best bets
- Nottingham Forest or draw – 4/5 with SBK
- Under 2.5 goals – 7/10 with CopyBet
- Chris Wood to score any time – 49/20 with Casumo
Nottm Forest vs Arsenal odds
Find the latest match odds for Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal predictions
Arsenal must be prepared to fight for the Premier League title until it is mathematically impossible to win it, but their chances are hanging by a thread.
After Liverpool drew 2-2 with Aston Villa last Wednesday, Arsenal had the chance to move within five points of top spot when they hosted West Ham United on Saturday.
A win for Mikel Arteta’s men would have piled the pressure on Liverpool ahead of a potentially tricky trip to Manchester City the following day.
Instead, Arsenal slumped to a 1-0 defeat by West Ham, an outcome which gave Liverpool some welcome breathing space at the Etihad Stadium. Arne Slot’s side duly ran out 2-0 winners to extend their lead at the summit of the standings to 11 points.
Arsenal have a game in hand on the league leaders, but even an eight-point gap would be tough to surmount. Even if the Gunners were to win all their remaining matches, it would probably not be enough to overhaul Liverpool.
In 2022/23 and 2023/24, Arsenal were edged out by Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s team have collapsed this term and that should have opened the door to the Gunners. Instead, it is Liverpool who have capitalised.
Injuries have not helped. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are all on the treatment table. Yet it is mystifying that Arsenal did not add another attacker to the squad in the winter window. In truth, that is something they should have done last summer.
Even before that quartet was struck down by injury, Arsenal had dropped 14 points in meetings with the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Newcastle United, Everton and Bournemouth. They have not topped the table once this term, which means they have always been playing catch-up.
With a third of the campaign remaining, third place now appears to be a likelier finishing position for Arsenal than first. In fact, Arteta’s charges are now as close to Aston Villa in eighth than they are to Liverpool at the top of the tree.
“I’m really, really annoyed with the things that are in our hands – which is the performance and the result,” Arteta said after the West Ham defeat.
“[We were] nowhere near the levels that we have to hit to have the opportunity to win a Premier League. I’m very much responsible for that, so I’m very, very angry.”
Nottm Forest vs Arsenal betting tips
Who will come out on top when Nottingham Forest host Arsenal in the midweek round of fixtures?
Nottingham Forest or draw
Nottingham Forest will be pleased to be back at the City Ground after losing three away games in a row, the latest of which was a 4-3 defeat by Newcastle United on Saturday.
Forest still have the third-best away record in the division, but they may well need the City Ground crowd to get them over the line in their bid for European football.
Arsenal remain without Saka, Jesus, Havertz and Martinelli, while Ethan Nwaneri will need to be assessed after being forced off against West Ham.
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It is hard to see the Gunners emerging victorious with so many key attacking players unavailable for selection.
Forest have only lost two of 14 home games in 2024/25 and they have what it takes to avoid defeat on Wednesday too.
Choose a Nottingham Forest win or a draw at 4/5 with SBK
Under 2.5 goals
Nottingham Forest were involved in a seven-goal thriller at St James’ Park last time out, but this match is unlikely to be as eventful.
For one, Arsenal’s third-string frontline will struggle to create clear-cut chances against a Forest backline that has been breached a joint-low 10 times at home this term.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are usually involved in low-scoring encounters in front of their own fans. Forest’s home games have contained a total of 32 goals, the third-lowest figure in the league.
Nuno’s game plan will focus on frustrating Arsenal, with Forest set to line up in a low block and deny their opponents space in the final third.
One goal could be enough to win this tussle between second and third.
Back under 2.5 goals at 7/10 with CopyBet
Chris Wood to score any time
What a season Chris Wood is having. The Nottingham Forest striker is fourth in the Premier League’s goal chart with 18 strikes in 26 appearances.
Even the man himself did not see this coming. Wood is in the form of his life and his goals could power Forest into Europe.
The New Zealand international will not have everything his own way up against William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Equally, though, Wood is one of the few centre-forwards in the division who is capable of matching that duo physically.
With the City Ground crowd behind him, Wood can make his mark.
Go for Chris Wood to score any time at 49/20 with Casumo
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
- Location: City Ground, Nottingham, England.
- Date and time: Wednesday 26th February, 7.30pm.
- How to watch: TNT Sports 2.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
- Premier League winner predictions
- Premier League top scorer odds
- Premier League relegation odds
- Champions League winner odds
- Championship promotion odds
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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