Nottingham Forest will hope to replicate the result they had over Arsenal in the FA Cup in 2018 on Friday.
The Championship club defeated the Gunners, then managed by Arsene Wenger, 4-2 in a stunning upset that sent the team crashing out of the competition. Nottingham Forest also hosted Arsenal on that occassion and they will have hope they can do it again.
Mikel Arteta may have been facing that prospect if this game happned at the start of the season as the Gunners were in poor form. However, the manager has rescued the season and got the club into fourth in the Premier League. They will be tougher competition for the hosts but it should be an entertaining match.
Arsenal will also have fresh legs as their Carabao Cup match against Liverpool on Thursday has been postponed. The Reds have an outbreak of Covid which means the Gunners have eight days between games.
But how can fans watch and who will line up? Here’s all you need to know.
When is it?
The match will kick off at 5.10pm on Sunday, 9 January at the City Ground.
How can I watch?
The game will be available for fans to watch on ITV 1 with coverage starting at 4.20pm.
Team news
For the hosts Jordi Osei-Tutu and Alex Mighten are out until February with knee injuries. While Djed Spence is expected to feature after returning against Huddersfield last time out.
Meanwhile for Arsenal Nicolas Pepe, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Sead Kolasinac is injured and not expected to feature while Calum Chambers is in doubt due to Covid.
Confirmed line-ups
Nottingham Forest: Samba, Spence, Worral, McKenna, Colback, Garner, Johnson, Zinckernagel, Cook, Yates, Davis
Arsenal: Leno; Cedric, White, Holding, Tavares; Lokonga, Patino; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
Odds
Nottingham Forest - 26/5
Draw - 3/1
Arsenal - 18/25
Prediction
Arsenal’s form of late has been impressive and they have bounced back from their disastrous start to the season. While Nottingham provides a challenge for the Premier league side, the top-flight club should come out on top. Nottingham Forest 0-2 Arsenal.
