Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson is expecting his former club to secure the three points against Nottingham Forest this weekend.
The Gunners will be facing a team under new management, with Ange Postecoglou having replaced Nuno Espirito Santo in the dugout, and writing in his Sportskeeda column, Merson says this match might not be as straightforward for Mikel Arteta’s side as it appears:
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“This is a difficult game for Arsenal because everyone is expecting them to get back to winning ways against Nottingham Forest. And apparently, they have to do it in style too!”
“Arsenal need to win because they have some tricky fixtures coming up. I expect the Gunners to get the job done at the Emirates.”
What scoreline has Merson predicted for Arsenal vs Forest?
The Sky Sports pundit has gone with a 2-0 victory to Arteta’s men, which is a result that will please supporters following the defeat to Liverpool last time out.
This fixture is all about getting back on track after the setback at Anfield. With the Reds expected to win against newly-promoted Burnley on Sunday, the Gunners cannot really afford to lose any more ground so early in the season.
Arsenal vs Forest team news
Ben White and Christian Norgaard have both been pictured back in training this week. The former has missed the last two fixtures, while the latter has not made his competitive debut for the club yet.
William Saliba and Bukayo Saka remain doubts for the match, while Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have been ruled out of contention.
Postecoglou won’t be able to call upon Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Arsenal loanee can’t play against his parent club. Ola Aina faces a late fitness test, while Nicolas Dominguez is still sidelined with a serious knee injury.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here