Arsenal return to action in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, hosting Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners lost their last league fixture at Liverpool and are three points behind the defending champions.
Forest have endured a poor start to the season, winning just one of their first three games. Their form was one reason that led to the dismissal of former manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who has now been replaced by Ange Postecoglou.
Arsenal are huge favourites for the clash, but they have two challenges to overcome to return to winning ways.
Postecoglou’s arrival may spark renewed energy at Forest, with players wanting to prove themselves to their new manager, a trend widely referred to as new managerial bounce.
The Greek manager has yet to win a game against Arsenal, but drew his first game against them during his time at Tottenham Hotspur.
Mikel Arteta’s side must begin the game strongly to deny Forest from gaining any rhythm, which could lead to an upset.
The encounter comes just after the international break and an early kickoff, which can be a concern for any team as players may have yet to fully recover from the rigours of international commitments.
However, Arsenal side boast a very strong record after the international break, particularly at home. No side has registered more home wins than Arsenal after the international break since the 2015/2016 season.
They are also yet to lose at home against Forest in the Premier League era and will be confident of extending their unbeaten run ahead of Saturday’s fixture.
The North London side must secure a victory against Postecoglou’s side to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, who do not play until Sunday and maintain the positive momentum within the squad.
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