How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal as Tricky Trees look to catch Gunners

Nottingham Forest welcome Arsenal this week as the two Champions League-chasing sides meet, and it’s live on talkSPORT.

The Gunners are searching for a response after their title ambitions for the season took an almost definitive crushing blow last time out.

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Arsenal were in the title race but a defeat at the weekend at home to West Ham coupled with Manchester City losing 2-0 to Liverpool, means the Reds are now 11 points clear at the top of the table.

To add insult to injury, the north Londoners could now be pulled back by the chasing pack for Champions League football, with the Tricky Trees just six points behind them.

So, for the Gunners, it is now all about finishing second, while Nuno Espirito Santo will have Mikel Arteta and co in his sights.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: How to watch

This Premier League clash will take place on Wednesday, February 26.

Kick-off at the City Ground is scheduled for 7:30pm.

The game will be shown on TNT Sports 2. Alternatively, it can also be watched through discovery+. More details here.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: talkSPORT coverage

talkSPORT will also have live commentary of this one, with Adrian Durham serving as your presenter.

Commentary will come from Joe Shennan and former West Ham striker Dean Ashton.

talkSPORT.com will also have updates through our dedicated Premier League blog.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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• Arsenal have won 12 of their last 13 evening kick-offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League, including their last nine in a row since a 2-0 home loss to West Ham in December 2023.
• Nottingham Forest have won five of their last six Premier League home games (D1), as many as they had in their previous 20 (D4 L11).
• Arsenal’s 15-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end with a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham last time out. They’ve not lost consecutive league games since December 2023, the first of which was a home loss to West Ham.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Crucial

It would be fair to say that injuries have massively impacted Arsenal this season, but one man’s absence has been felt more than most.

Bukayo Saka suffered a nasty hamstring problem in December, which has changed the narrative of the Gunners’ campaign.

Before his injury, Saka had directly contributed to 15 goals in 16 matches even with Martin Odegaard out, Arsenal still looked dangerous because Saka was available.

However, with the England international out, others should have stepped up, and they haven’t.

Without Saka in the side, the Gunners have crashed out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and lost to West Ham.

Of course, they did thrash Man City, but apart from that, have only scored three goals in a game one other time.

Goals have become a bit of a problem for Arteta, and he will be praying to get Saka back sooner than later.

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Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Team news

Interestingly, Forest only have one injury as second-choice goalkeeper Carlos Miguel has a hamstring issue and will sit this match out.

Apart from that, Nuno has a full squad to choose from, but after a poor first-half display at the weekend, he could be tempted to make a few changes.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have Ben White back fully fit to compete with Jurien Timber.

However, Myles Lewis-Skelly will be suspended after being sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

He joins Kai Havertz, Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines.

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• Arsenal have had five red cards in the Premier League this season, with the last two of those being Myles Lewis-Skelly (vs Wolves and West Ham). In just three campaigns have the Gunners received more reds in the competition – 1998-99 (7), 2001-02 (6) and 2010-11 (6).
• Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espírito Santo has lost each of his last three Premier League meetings with Arsenal (one with Tottenham, both with Forest). In his managerial career, the only sides against which he has suffered 4+ consecutive league defeats are Benfica (4 from 2012 to 2014) and Liverpool (7 from 2018 to 2024).
• 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored his first ever Premier League goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the reverse fixture. The only player to score home and away goals against an opponent before turning 18 in a single Premier League campaign is Wayne Rooney (vs Arsenal in 2002-03).
• Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood has been involved in six goals in his last three Premier League home games (5 goals, 1 assist), netting a hat-trick against Brighton last time out. It’s the first time he’s scored in three home games in a row in the competition.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: What has been said?

Gunners legend Martin Keown believes that injuries and discipline are what have cost Arsenal this season.

Speaking on White & Jordan, he said: “I think on the suspension thing, of course, there’s been a lack of discipline in that area.

“But we can go through all five of the sendings off if we want to, if we want to drag it back to Rice, Trossard and Saliba.

“I think the one at the weekend was definitely a sending-off, you could argue the others weren’t.

“But in those games, Arsenal have only won one match.

“So, you’re losing the points the games you go down to ten men. Then you’ve got your suspensions.”

He added: “I think it was critical when they lost Odegaard, very early in the season, he was out for two months.

“And then you’ve had this catalogue of injuries, the front four players not available.

“At the weekend, there wasn’t that explosive pace in the team. It was flat, it was a difficult afternoon. West Ham sat deep and they didn’t have the answers in the final third.

“You can say they need a striker, but there wasn’t enough chances created even if they did have a striker.”