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Confirmed line-ups: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – Havertz starts as Arteta makes 5 changes

By on October 18, 2026

Arsenal Kai Havertz Mikel Artetaver

Arsenal take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this afternoon needing a win to close the gap at the top of the table.

Leaders Manchester City extended their lead over Arsenal to six points with victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday so the pressure is on to reduce that deficit to three points.

We eased to a 3-0 win over Lille in our opening Champions League game in midweek. Mikel Arteta rotated his squad by making five changes for that game but the big-guns return to the starting eleven this afternoon.

David Raya keeps goal once again while Riccardo Calafiori returns at left-back after being rested on Tuesday night. Ezri Konsa continues alongside Gabriel Magalhaes in the middle of Arsenal’s defence and Ben White replaces Jurrien Timber at right-back.

Declan Rice starts in midfield alongside Bruno Guimaraes while Martin Odegaard is recalled in the attacking midfield role. Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly at named among the subs.

Eberechi Eze keeps his place on the left wing with Christos Tzolis still out while Bukayo Saka is recalled to start on the right after being a substitute against Lille in midweek.

Kai Havertz was rested against Lille but he is recalled to start up front with Viktor Gyokeres dropping to the bench.

These are the teams:

Arsenal

Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Havertz

Subs: Meslier, Mosquera, Timber, Gyökeres, Madueke, Merino, Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

Nottingham Forest

Sels, Diomande, Williams, Murillo, Domínguez, Ndoye, Delap, Schlager, Cunha, McAtee, Muñoz

Subs: Victor, Sangaré, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Kalimuendo, Yates, Netz, Milenković, Aina