Arsenal v Nottingham Forest live: Team news and line-ups from Premier League clash – UK Times

Ange Postecoglou names his first Nottingham Forest line-up and makes just one change from the side that started in the 3-0 home defeat to West Ham before the international break.

With Ola Aina out injured, Morato comes into the defence. Is it a back-four or back-three? Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliott Anderson are in midfield.

A home debut for Eberechi Eze, following his first appearance for Arsenal off the bench away at Liverpool two weeks ago.

Eze joins Noni Madueke and Victor Gyokeres in the front-line, while Mikel Merino comes into midfield for Declan Rice, who is rested ahead of the trip to Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday. Captain Martin Odegaard returns to the starting line-up following injury, too.

In defence, Cristhian Mosquera starts alongside Gabriel. William Saliba is not in the squad. Neither is Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Morato, Murillo, Milenkovic; Hudson-Odoi, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Williams; Wood, Ndoye

Bukayo Saka remains out for Arsenal but there could be a return for William Saliba, much earlier than expected after he limped off in the defeat at Liverpool.

“Bukayo is still out. He’s trying to get back as quick as possible, we need to respect that process,” Mikel Arteta said yesterday.

“He’s evolving really well. Very specific work at the moment. And the moment we increase that load, let’s see how he reacts.

“William trained [on Friday]. We have a decision to make on whether we play him or not.”

Arsenal have won their last six home games against Nottingham Forest in all competitions by an aggregate score of 19-2.

The Gunners are unbeaten in 14 games on home soil against Forest (W10 D4) since a 3-1 defeat back in March 1989.

Last season, Mikel Arteta’s side were comfortable 3-0 winners at the Emirates, with Ethan Nwaneri scoring his first Arsenal goal.

Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest did not keep an away clean sheet in their last nine Premier League away games.

Can Ange Postecoglou tighten up the Forest defence at the Emirates or will he commit to attacking football in his first game in charge?

Arsenal’s winning start to the season came to an end at Anfield two weekends ago, as Dominik Szoboszlai crashed in a late free-kick for Liverpool.

The good news for Arsenal is they have not lost back-to-back matches in the Premier League since December 2023, when a defeat against West Ham was followed by another at Fulham.

Ange Postecoglou is determined to take Nottingham Forest back to “its rightful place” in English football.

Postecoglou sealed a rapid return to the Premier League on Wednesday when he was appointed as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor at the City Ground – only three months on from being sacked by Tottenham.

Spurs parted company with Postecoglou despite a first trophy in 17 years in May with Europa League success, and with two-time European Cup winners Forest back in a continental competition for the first time in three decades, the 60-year-old is full of excitement about the challenge ahead.

New Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou believes he has inherited a squad set up for success.

Former Tottenham boss Postecoglou was appointed as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor on Tuesday and takes charge of his first game on Saturday – a lunchtime return to north London to face Arsenal.

The Australian has arrived at the City Ground just weeks after Forest spent over £150m on building a squad to enable them to compete on four fronts.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta fears title rivals Liverpool have assembled the strongest squad in the Premier League following the acquisition of Alexander Isak.

And when asked how the arrival of Isak at Anfield could shape the title race, Arteta, whose side finished 10 points behind Arne Slot’s side last season, said: “They are the strongest for sure.

“They have recruited the two most decisive players that were in Europe in the market (Isak and Wirtz), and they did really well to do that.”