Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal preview, team news, h2h, lineups: Aina targets Gunners’ upset

Super Eagles protector Ola Aina and his Nottingham Forest side will be considering an upset when they host Arsenal in Premier League Matchweek 7 on Sunday, October 18, at the City Ground. Toolbox get here 2nd in the table and have actually lost just as soon as in 6 league matches, while Forest sit 15th with one win in the exact same period and a home record that is the more important issue.

Toolbox’s great kind gets here along with a brand-new agreement for Mikel Arteta, signed through June 2030 on October 7, a benefit for ending a 22-year wait on the league title last season. Glasner, in his 4th month at Forest after changing Vitor Pereira in July 2026, is the club’s 5th long-term supervisor in little over a year and is still looking for continual type.

Match Facts · Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal

Competitors: Premier League, Matchweek 7

Date: October 18, 2026

Kickoff: 4:30 PM WAT

Place: The City Ground, Nottingham

League positions: Nottingham Forest 15th · Arsenal 2nd

Last conference: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal, January 17, 2026

Nigeria connection: Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, Super Eagles right-back)

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Form guide

Toolbox have actually lost just as soon as in their last 6 league video games, a 3-0 defeat at Brighton on September 19, either side of wins over Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland and a 2-1 win at Leeds United on October 10. That run has actually brought 10 objectives scored and an objective distinction of +5. Forest, by contrast, have actually won as soon as in the very same duration, 2-1 at Aston Villa on September 12, and have actually not scored at all in 3 of their 6 league matches this season, a return of simply 5 objectives.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Head-to-head

The Gunners have actually not lost any of the last 5 conferences in between these sides, winning 3 and drawing 2 considering that January 2024, with the most current conference on January 17, 2026 completing goalless at the City Ground. Toolbox won 3-0 at the Emirates on September 13, 2025, and 3-0 once again on November 23, 2024, either side of a 1-2 win at the City Ground on January 30, 2024. The other attract the series began February 26, 2025, likewise at the City Ground.

Woan, Sheringham and Gemmill on target versus Arsenal in’91. https://t.co/OV64V6Hjk6– Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 17, 2026

Throughout all 96 Premier League conferences in between the clubs, Arsenal lead with 48 wins to Forest’s 26, with 22 draws and an objective tally of 145-102 in Arsenal’s favour. The photo is even more even at the City Ground itself, however, where Forest have actually won 20 of their 48 home conferences with Arsenal, drawn 8 and lost 20, compared to simply 6 wins from 28 efforts at the Emirates.

Ola Aina’s versus Kai Havertz

Aina’s relocation from right-back to the heart of a back 3 puts him up versus Kai Havertz, who has 2 objectives in 6 league looks this season and tends to drop off the cutting edge to connect play instead of remain on the shoulder of the last protector.

Checking out those motions is a various test to the healing runs and one-on-ones Aina is utilized to protecting out wide, where rate covers for a great deal of positional unpredictability. Forest’s back 3 of Ousmane Diomande, Murillo and Aina will likewise need to represent Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard wandering within from much deeper positions, contributing to the scale of the modification Aina is being asked to make in an unknown function.

Ola Aina and the Super Eagles

Aina stays among the Super Eagles’most knowledgeable protectors, with 49 caps given that his 2017 launching. He is likewise a constant entertainer, as he constantly provides on the pitch. The 30-year-old is a great individually protector, can dribble, and really fantastic with the ball on his feet.

Aina’s sparkle was likewise essential to the Tricky Trees’ impressive surface in the league 2 seasons earlier. He had his fight with injuries in 2015, however he has actually because retured and is back amongst among the very best gamers at the club.