Ange Postecoglou's first match as head coach of Nottingham Forest sees him face a similar enemy as they make the trip to London to face [Mikel Arteta's **Arsenal.](https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2025/08/20/premier-league/1231018-arsenal-vs-leeds-united-premier-league-preview-gameweek-2-2025.html)** Forest, now under new management after Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed ahead of the resumption of the Premier League, will be looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against West Ham prior to the international break.
However, this will be far from a routine match for the Midlands outfit, who face one of the toughest tests that the Premier League has to offer. The Gunners will be looking to get back on track themselves after a defeat at Anfield left them bruised on and off the field as the injury list claimed another victim.
Postecoglou will not want to be reminded of his record against Arsenal whilst he was head coach of Tottenham, as the Australian failed to win in four attempts, losing three of these. He will be hoping that this luck does not continue at his new club.
Arsenal
After coming off early against Liverpool, there are question marks on whether William Saliba is ready for a return to the team. The Frenchman has been training, but a decision will likely be made on the day of the game.
Bukayo Saka is also nearing a return, but it will not come against Forest as the match comes just too soon for the winger, who Arteta said is looking to get back as soon as possible.
Both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain as long-term absences as the Spaniard was unable to put a time frame on either of the forwards' returns to action.
The positive news for the Gunners is that new signing Piero Hincapie will be available for selection against Forest, providing Arteta with an option if Saliba is deemed unfit to start.
Nottingham Forest
The big blow for Nottingham Forest will be the absence of Ola Aina. After having scans on an issue picked up on international duty whilst the international was facing South Africa, the injury has been deemed a severe one.
The club expect the full-back to be out for the remainder of the year. It is far from ideal for Postecoglou, who has lost one of his key players before his first game at the club.
Nicolas Dominguez also remains out with the midfielder, aiming for a return in the next month. Meanwhile, new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko is unable to feature against his parent club.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal
Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze
Nottingham Forest
Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Yates; McAtee, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Key Players
Arsenal - Noni Madueke
Noni Madueke enjoyed a fantastic international break for England. The winger was a constant threat in both performances and even scored his first goal for the Three Lions.
Madueke will undoubtedly want to build on these performances, playing at the same quality for his new club as well. The Englishman now has some much-needed momentum on his side and will want to make sure that he capitalises on this before Bukayo Saka returns for Arsenal.
The man who very nearly departed Forest for Postecoglou's former employers will be key to giving his new head coach a great start to life at Forest.
It is no secret that Arsenal's defence is one of the best, if not the best, in the Premier League and will be extremely stubborn to close down. Gibbs-White will play a vital role in trying to cut open that defence with his smart passing.
This will give the likes of Chris Wood the chance to try and find the back of the net. The midfielder simply needs to be at his best to help his team to a memorable result against the Gunners.