Arsenal - William Saliba
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The 2025/26 season started off great for the Gunners. One-nil against Man-U in week one and then following it up with a beautiful five-nothing win against Leeds. But for a late score thanks to Szoboszlai’s boot against Liverpool, the Gunners fans could have walked into the pub claiming an undefeated status. But third place on the Premier League table is nothing to be ashamed about. Now, however, Arsenal has two worries. The first is facing a plucky Nottingham Forest at Emirates and Athletic Club in Spain. And then, the second worry, is they’ll have to keep Notts at bay without William Saliba. Whether it’s Nottingham Forest or a UEFA clash, it’s going to be a humdinger of a season; securing a seat at Emirates Stadium will put you right where the early-season action is.
It’s both infuriating and lovely to be an Arsenal supporter. Always near the top, great performances, and one can make an argument Emirates Stadium has the best atmosphere in all of the Premier League. But the lack of silverware is disheartening. However the Gunners had a blistering start to the season, and only narrowly missed out on that undefeated title after keeping Liverpool at bay for 83 minutes.
If Arteta’s men can keep their nerve, the title is definitely on the table. But first they need to keep a dangerous Nottingham Forest at bay without Saliba and Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.
Securing matchday tickets
Before getting into the weeds of the Notts Forest game and what lies beyond, the first priority is securing your seat at Emirates. The weekend’s game is sure to be a full house, but there are still some seats available.
You’ll know securing tickets at Emirates is always tricky, but you can get Arsenal FC tickets on Hellotickets with live availability. Hellotickets makes securing your spot at the hallowed ground in Holloway quick and easy, and not just this week’s match, future fixtures are on sale now too.
And with the tickets taken care of, let’s explore why this season opener will be an absolute humdinger.
The Nottingham Forest danger
Before the Arsenal clash on the 13th, Nottingham Forest sat in a mid-tier tenth on the table sporting only one and a negative goal difference. On paper, Notts should not be a problem at Emirates. There’s only one problem: they’re not playing on paper. Forest has always been a dark horse, and one cannot call Nottingham a well-oiled machine. Rather, they’re coming to Emirates carrying a knowing underdog smile and a determination that makes them dangerous.
Arsenal has not lost many home games to Nottingham Forest, with Notts getting only five wins in the last 25 head-to-head matches. But no Gooner wants to think back to May ‘23 when Notts broke Arsenal heart and hopes. Whether it is the fourth-week fixture against Nottingham or other mid-table teams coming later in the season, complacency would be unwise.
And then there’s the William Saliba injury to contend with.
Saliba to miss two games with ankle injury
Say what you want about the French national, but William Saliba is solid as Hadrian’s Wall on defence. The 24-year-old has earned his chops, and he is unbelievably cool under pressure. He ran on the field in the Qatar final as a mere 22-year-old and more than held his own. Saliba is not quite part of the furniture at Emirates yet, but only a fool would bet against him having a long and illustrious career in the red shirt.
The bad news is Saliba will watch the Notts Forest match from the bench, and probably the clash with Athletic Club Bilbao too. The centre back twisted his ankle during the pre-match warm-up against Liverpool last week, which probably contributed to the defeat. The good news is it looks as if ankle is merely twisted and not sprained, and there’s hope his absence is precautionary. He should be back for the Man City game if all goes to plan.
What’s up after the weekend
The Gunners’s UEFA bid kicks off on the 16th when they travel to Spain to pit their skills against Athletic Club Bilbao. While no team in UEFA should ever be regarded as easy, it is Bilbao’s first qualification in 11 years.
On the 21st, Arsenal is home against Manchester City, their old nemesis. City is licking their wounds after only one win, languishing even below Notts at a disheartening 13th place. City’s gunning to make a statement at Emirates, and the Gunners will need to keep their wits about them not to walk away with a shock defeat.
Yes, Arteta has been accused of lacking ambition, but with a bit of faith and momentum, Arsenal may just find a use for their trophy cabinet at season’s end**.**