Nottingham Forest-Arsenal Preview

Steve Cooper knows Nottingham Forest must improve their performances on a consistent basis as they aim to follow up a shock win over Liverpool with another at Arsenal.

Forest claimed only their second victory of the season as they snatched a 1-0 success at home to Liverpool last week. But Cooper's side still ended the weekend bottom of the Premier League table, now heading to Arsenal needing to repeat the feat.

While Forest are at the foot of the standings, Arsenal lead the way, and Cooper is realistic about the scale of the task before his team.

"We will get judged over the course of time," he said. "It was a great win (against Liverpool). We are still bottom. We still haven't got enough points, or less than we would have liked. Let's not lose sight of that.

"I don't want to sound negative. That's the realism; when you're in a situation like that, you have to fight."

It was a win for Leicester City on Sunday that sent Forest back to the bottom.

"I take it personally," Cooper said about his club's place in the table. "Even before Sunday, I knew it was about what was next and focusing on the coming days and the preparation.

"I've liked that attitude in the team this week. The idea has to be about striving to improve and work harder."

Forest will at least head into the game in a more positive frame of mind than Arsenal, who lost 2-0 to PSV in the Europa League on Thursday.

"It is the first defeat after a long period," Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said. "It's time to reset, to analyse what happened."

Arsenal – Gabriel Jesus

Jesus is now six without a goal for Arsenal, a worrying drought after his sublime start to life at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners will continue to rely on their number nine, but he badly needs to rediscover his best form in front of goal.

Nottingham Forest – Morgan Gibbs-White

Forest paid a huge fee to Wolves to sign Gibbs-White, who has so far struggled to justify that outlay. But he shone against Liverpool, providing a real threat in the final third, and Forest will need more of the same if they are to stun Arsenal.

– This is the first league meeting between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest since January 1999, a 1-0 away win for the Gunners. They have met four times in cup competitions since, with Arsenal winning the two League Cup ties and Forest winning two FA Cup ties.

– Nottingham Forest have won two of their last 27 league visits to Arsenal (D11 L14), with Brian Clough leading them to consecutive victories in 1987 and 1989.

– Nottingham Forest have won their last two league games in London, beating Millwall and Fulham 1-0 in the Championship last season. They have not won three consecutive away league games against sides from the capital since March 1989, the third game of which was at Arsenal (3-1).

– This is Nottingham Forest's first Premier League match at the Emirates. Only two of the previous 40 away sides to play there in the competition have won their first game there (West Ham in 2007 and Hull City in 2008), with 15 of the last 16 losing their first game (D1).

– Arsenal have won each of their last seven Premier League games against promoted sides, last winning eight in a row between January 2013 and April 2014. At home, the Gunners are unbeaten in 34 games against promoted teams (W29 D5), since a 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in November 2010.

Updated October 28, 2022