Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Prediction, Predicted Lineups & Team News
Nottingham Forest host Tottenham at the City Ground on Saturday with the visitors bottom of the Premier League on zero points and zero goals. Forest have beaten Spurs four times in a row, but with only one point themselves through two matches, our Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham prediction is a draw.
The awkward detail for Tottenham is who put them there. Anthony Elanga, sold by Forest to Newcastle for £55 million last summer, scored the opening goal in the 2-0 defeat that left Spurs last. Forest, meanwhile, drew 2-2 at Anfield despite leading twice.
This preview covers predicted lineups, injury news, head-to-head history, the tactical matchup and a score prediction for Saturday's Premier League game in Nottingham.
When & Where to Watch (USA)
Saturday, Sept. 5 at 3:00 PM BST / 10:00 AM ET / 7:00 AM PT
Venue: The City Ground, Nottingham
- Streaming: Peacock, Fubo
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Lineups & Injury News
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Predicted Lineups
Predicted lineups: Forest are projected in a 3-4-2-1 with Igor Jesus leading the line rather than club-record signing Liam Delap, Ola Aina at right wing back ahead of deadline-day arrival Daniel Munoz, and Ibrahim Sangare back in central midfield after a calf knock. Tottenham have rebuilt the front three: Mohammed Kudus and Dominic Solanke are both out of the projection with Savio and Mathys Tel in, and Omar Marmoush moves from the left into the middle.
Nottingham ForestNFO
Tottenham HotspurTOTNottingham ForestPredictedTottenham HotspurPredictedNottingham Forest predicted starting XI (3-4-2-1): Matz Sels; Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Jair Cunha; Ola Aina, James McAtee, Ibrahim Sangare, Neco Williams; Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye; Igor Jesus
Tottenham predicted starting XI (4-2-1-3): Antonin Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, Sandro Tonali; Mateus Fernandes; Savio, Omar Marmoush, Mathys Tel
Check the Premier League injury table and the player news feed before kickoff because there are still some questions.
Nottingham Forest Team News & Injuries
Nicolo Savona is the long-term absence and had a setback, though Oliver Glasner confirmed Friday that he is back on grass for the first time: "Now we need to build him up step by step. Hopefully he can fully train with us during the international break or afterwards." Ibrahim Sangare is the good news. The calf knock that cost him the Liverpool game has cleared, he is available, and he is back in the projected XI in place of Xaver Schlager.
The bigger selection questions come from Forest's new arrivals. Liam Delap, Ousmane Diomande and Daniel Munoz are all registered and available, but the current projection keeps Igor Jesus ahead of Delap and Ola Aina ahead of Munoz. Glasner previously coached Munoz at Crystal Palace, making right wing-back one of the more interesting calls before kickoff.
Tottenham Team News & Injuries
The front three is the story. Kudus and Solanke are both out of the projected XI and neither is injured, which is a selection call rather than a fitness one after Tottenham failed to score in either of their first two games. Kudus has not played since January quadriceps surgery and was an unused option against Newcastle, so easing him in off the bench is the more cautious read of an eight-month absence.
Savio comes in having been passed fit Friday. He missed the Newcastle game as a precaution with muscle fatigue and De Zerbi's update was short: "Savio is back." That is a straight upgrade on paper given he scored and assisted on his debut.
James Maddison started training again Thursday and De Zerbi left the door open: "James started (training) yesterday." A return from a shoulder fracture this quickly would be a surprise and the Sept. 12 Everton game is the more realistic target, but he is no longer weeks away. Mykhailo Mudryk, on a season-long loan from Chelsea and reunited with the coach he had at Shakhtar, is "ready to play part of the game" by De Zerbi's own account despite not having played a competitive match since 2024-25. Dejan Kulusevski is still training away from the group with a knee problem, Xavi Simons is out until the spring and Wilson Odobert until late autumn.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Head-to-Head Record
These clubs have met 129 times, with Tottenham winning 59 to Forest's 41 and 29 drawn. The recent record belongs entirely to Forest, who have won the last four meetings, including a 3-0 double last season at both grounds.
The March 2026 leg of that double came at Tottenham three weeks into De Zerbi's tenure, so he has already lost 3-0 at home to this opponent. Forest have also won their last two home league meetings with Spurs, 1-0 in December 2024 and 3-0 in December 2025.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Tactical Analysis
Forest's single point does not describe their football. They out-created Liverpool at Anfield, finishing with 2.3 expected goals to 1.61 and three big chances to none, led twice and still drew, which was the first time they have led twice in a Premier League game and failed to win since December 1994. Before that they lost 1-0 at home to Leeds. This is a side losing games it deserves better from.
Gibbs-White is the reason. He scored the penalty at Anfield and now has three goals and two assists there, and across calendar 2026 only Bruno Fernandes has more Premier League goal involvements. He was left out of England's World Cup squad and has started the season like a man who noticed.
Tottenham are the opposite kind of problem. They have spent roughly 400 million pounds across ten signings this summer, including Tonali at 100 million from Newcastle, Mateus Fernandes at 85 million from West Ham, Savinho at up to 85 million from Manchester City and Marmoush on a 60 million obligation, and they have scored nothing. Brentford beat them 3-0 on the opening day with 3.96 expected goals, and Newcastle waited an hour before winning 2-0 at their place. De Zerbi's readings have been consistent and unflattering: his side "didn't fight in the right way" and "lost too many duels" at Brentford, and after Newcastle he said only that he is "not panicked" and knows where he is going.
The context around both benches is churn. Glasner is Forest's fifth head coach in twelve months, arriving in July after Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira. De Zerbi was Tottenham's third of last season. Between them these two clubs have used eight managers in about fifteen months, and both are still finding out what their squads are.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Key Matchups
Morgan Gibbs-White vs Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur
The best player on the pitch against the most expensive. Gibbs-White operates in the space between a midfield and a back line and Forest's whole attack runs through him, which makes this Tonali's first real test as a 100 million pound signing. Tonali was quiet on his debut at Brentford with two shots and little else, and Spurs have conceded five goals in two games while creating almost nothing. If Bentancur and Tonali let Gibbs-White turn and face the back four, Forest will not need many phases to get at van Hecke and van de Ven.
Omar Marmoush vs Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic
Tottenham have not scored a league goal this season, so the striker matchup matters more than it usually would. Marmoush is projected to lead a front three of players who have barely played together, with Kudus returning from eight months out on one side and Marmoush five days into his Spurs career on the other. Murillo and Milenkovic are a settled, physical pairing in a back three that has conceded three goals in two games and kept Liverpool to no big chances at Anfield. Somebody in a Spurs shirt has to make a run that pulls one of them out of position, and so far nobody has.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Odds
Forest are narrow home favorites and all three outcomes are plus money, which is about as close as a three-way market gets. Tottenham run from +165 to +185 across the five books, so the away side is worth 20 cents to the shopper.
| Sportsbook | Nottingham Forest | Draw | Tottenham |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | +135 | +220 | +165 |
| DraftKings | +145 | +245 | +185 |
| FanDuel | +145 | +230 | +180 |
| bet365 | +135 | +240 | +175 |
| Kalshi | +145 | +239 | +173 |
Odds from OddsJam. For more markets and the rest of the matchweek, see RotoWire's soccer betting page and the best sportsbook promos.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Set-Piece Takers
Set-piece responsibility for both clubs comes from RotoWire's Premier League set-piece takers guide, which covers all 20 teams for 2026-27.
Nottingham Forest
- Corners & free kicks: Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams, Ryan Yates, Dan Ndoye
- Penalties: Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus
Tottenham
- Corners & free kicks: Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel
- Penalties: Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus
Gibbs-White took and scored the penalty at Anfield with Wood on the bench, so treat him as the man in possession of that job. Tottenham's list is thinner than it reads, with Maddison a doubt and Richarlison out of the projected XI, which leaves Solanke on penalties and Tonali and Porro on dead balls.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Prediction
Forest have played better football than their one point suggests and are facing a Tottenham side that has yet to score. The problem is that Forest have already shown how little their territorial and chance advantage can mean if they fail to finish games. Tottenham should be more dangerous with Marmoush involved and potentially Kudus returning, but there still isn't enough cohesion in this attack to back them to win at the City Ground.
Forest should have the better chances without quite doing enough to take all three points.
Score Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Tottenham
Upcoming Fixtures
Forest travel to Aston Villa on Sept. 12. Tottenham host Everton the same day, which is De Zerbi's next chance to score a first goal of the season at home.
For the rest of the matchweek, see RotoWire's Premier League predicted and confirmed lineups, the injury table, team stats and the EPL draft kit.
