Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest Prediction: Back the Gunners to return to winning ways

Ange Postecoglou's first game in charge of Nottingham Forest sees him travel to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal for the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon (12:30 BST, live on TNT Sports 1).

Nuno Espirito Santo was given his marching orders earlier this week, which then saw Postecoglou swiftly appointed as his successor at the City Ground. Read on for our Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Arsenal's injury list is extensive as the Gunners will be without the likes of Bukayo Saka, Christian Norgaard, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

William Saliba was forced off in Arsenal's defeat at Anfield prior to the international break and looks he set to miss out again here, but there should be a start for Gabriel Martinelli, who was rested for Brazil's final World Cup qualifier on Wednesday against Bolivia.

Ben White hasn't featured for Mikel Arteta's side since coming off early in the opening weekend win over Manchester United, but the England international could return to the fold here, providing a nice boost for the Arsenal manager.

Martin Odegaard will start in midfield with Declan Rice, Victor Gyokeres will lead the line and there could be a first start for summer signing Eberechi Eze.

As for Forest, Ola Aina will be sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Nigeria earlier this month, and on-loan Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko cannot face his parent club.

Nicolas Dominguez is still recovering from a knee problem, but new signing Nicolo Savona could be given his debut at the Emirates.

Elliot Anderson was named Player of the Match in both of England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, so he looks set to start in the engine room on Saturday.

Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest Odds

The Gunners are 2/5 favourites for Saturday's contest, giving them an implied win probability of 71.4%, Postecoglou's charges are 8/1 to begin their new era with a win, and the draw is an 18/5 chance.

Gyokeres currently leads the anytime goalscorer market at 5/6, while Chris Wood is shortest-priced for the visitors at 10/3.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Arsenal & Yes @ 21/10

Arsenal will be desperate to get back to winning ways after losing to title rivals Liverpool before international break - and Arteta's conservative approach in big games away from home in particular, has come in for criticism.

The Gunners are also dealing with numerous injuries to key players, and given Liverpool's 100% start to the new campaign, Arteta will understand that he can't afford to let the Reds build up a significant lead at the top of the table this early into the season.

We do think that Arsenal will get back on track here, despite Forest potentially undergoing a new manager bounce with Postecoglou's arrival, but the absence of Saliba for the Gunners could leave them exposed defensively.

Arsenal conceded in seven of their eight games without the Frenchman last season, letting in 11 strikes in total. Wood will pose problems up top, and it's easy to imagine Forest getting on the scoresheet.

However, the attacking options at Arteta's disposal should result in a comfortable win at home, which is why we're backing an Arsenal win and both teams to score.

Player to Receive a Card - Neco Williams @ 13/5

Our second pick is for Neco Williams to find his way into the referee's notebook.

The Gunners have some exciting options out wide including the likes of Noni Madueke, Eze, Martinelli and Leandro Troussard, so the Forest full-back looks set to endure a difficult 90 minutes on Saturday.

The Welshman played in his country's gruelling 1-0 win away in Kazakhstan - where he picked up a yellow card - and he's well worth considering again this weekend at 13/5.

The 24-year-old received seven cautions in 28 Premier League starts last term and was booked just 53 minutes into Forest’s opening win over Brentford.

Offers

Place any 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down.

Goal Builder: Pick your First or Anytime Goalscorer, the body part they score with, and where they find the back of the net. Settled using Opta data.

Saturday: Opt in and place an In-Play single bet of £10 or more at odds of 1/2+ on any Premier League match on Saturday and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on Sunday’s Premier League matches.

Saturday/Sunday: Opt in and build your own Bet Builder (3/1+) of 3+ legs on any Premier League game on Saturday or Sunday and get £10 in Free Bets to use on the Bet Builder! (Credited upon bet placement)

Double Delight & Hat-Trick Heaven: Get double or treble the odds if your winning First Goalscorer bet scores a 2nd and 3rd

Click here for the latest Football Odds and Today's Football Fixtures

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub