Match Information
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Match Overview
Nottingham Forest host Tottenham at the City Ground on September 5, 2026 in a Premier League Regular Season - 3 fixture, with both sides looking to arrest early-season inconsistency. Forest sit 13th under Oliver Glasner, while Tottenham, managed by Roberto De Zerbi, occupy 20th place, making this an important early marker for a Tottenham side already under pressure near the bottom of the table.
Recent league form favors neither side convincingly. Forest were held 2-2 away at Liverpool on August 29, having lost 0-1 to Leeds in the Premier League on August 22 and also fallen 0-2 to Leeds in the League Cup on August 25. Tottenham's form is more concerning by the numbers: a 0-2 home defeat to Newcastle on August 29 followed a 3-0 away loss at Brentford on August 22, meaning De Zerbi's side have not won a league match in this sample. Their sole midweek victory came in the League Cup, a 5-1 win over Charlton on August 26, which offers a confidence boost but limited bearing on league form given the different level of opposition.
Given Tottenham's current position of 20th, this match carries early relegation-battle undertones even at this stage of the season, while Forest will see an opportunity to build on their point at Liverpool and move further away from the pressure Tottenham currently face. The head-to-head record also gives Forest reason for optimism, having won the two most recent meetings comfortably, 3-0 in both the March 22, 2026 and December 14, 2025 fixtures.
With no injuries reported for either squad, both managers should be able to select close to first-choice lineups, placing the emphasis squarely on form and tactical execution rather than squad availability. Forest's home platform and recent head-to-head dominance make this a significant early test for Tottenham's resolve.
Predicted Lineups
Nottingham Forest
M. Sels; Cunha, N. Milenkovic, Murillo; O. Aina, X. Schlager, J. McAtee, N. Williams; M. Gibbs-White, D. Ndoye, Igor Jesus
Tottenham
A. Kinsky; A. Gray, J. P. van Hecke, M. van de Ven, A. Robertson; R. Bentancur, S. Tonali, P. Porro, M. Fernandes; M. Tel, O. Marmoush
Team Form Analysis
Nottingham Forest
League Position: 13Nottingham Forest Form Analysis
Forest's recent run shows a team still searching for consistency. Their August 29 draw at Liverpool, coming from behind to earn a 2-2 result, points to defensive resilience and attacking capability against top-tier opposition. However, the 0-1 Premier League loss to Leeds on August 22, followed by a League Cup exit-context defeat to the same opponents on August 25 (0-2), suggests some vulnerability against well-organized sides. Preseason friendly wins over Stade Brestois 29 (2-0) and Bayer Leverkusen (2-1) in August showed promise heading into the campaign, but those results carry less weight now that competitive matches are underway. Defensively, Forest have conceded in three of their last four competitive fixtures, though the Liverpool result demonstrates they can match quality opposition. With a settled XI and no fresh injury concerns, Glasner's side will look to translate their attacking output, evident in the Liverpool comeback, into a first league win of this run on home soil.
Tottenham
League Position: 20Tottenham Form Analysis
Tottenham's form heading into this match is a cause for concern. Back-to-back Premier League defeats, 3-0 at Brentford on August 22 and 0-2 at home to Newcastle on August 29, have yielded zero goals scored and five conceded, a worrying attacking and defensive trend at this early stage. Their only win in the sample came against Charlton in the League Cup on August 26, a 5-1 result that showcased attacking quality but came against different caliber opposition. Preseason form was mixed, with a win and a draw against 1899 Hoffenheim in mid-August. The underlying pattern, prolific in the cup but toothless in the league, will concern De Zerbi as Tottenham sit 20th in the table. With a fully available squad, the onus is on the players named in the last league lineup to reverse an alarming run before it compounds further.
Head-to-Head
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-22 | Tottenham | 0 - 3 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2025-12-14 | Nottingham Forest | 3 - 0 | Tottenham |
| 2025-04-21 | Tottenham | 1 - 2 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2024-12-26 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 0 | Tottenham |
| 2024-04-07 | Tottenham | 3 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2023-12-15 | Nottingham Forest | 0 - 2 | Tottenham |
| 2023-03-11 | Tottenham | 3 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2022-11-09 | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 0 | Tottenham |
| 2022-08-28 | Nottingham Forest | 0 - 2 | Tottenham |
| 2014-09-24 | Tottenham | 3 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
Memorable Matches
The recent head-to-head record has swung firmly in Nottingham Forest's favor. On March 22, 2026, Forest won 3-0 away at Tottenham, backing up an equally emphatic 3-0 home win on December 14, 2025. Going further back, the April 21, 2025 meeting saw Forest edge Tottenham 2-1 in London. Tottenham's more historic victories include a 3-1 win at home on April 7, 2024 and a 3-1 away win on March 11, 2023, showing the fixture has swung between both sides over the years. The two most recent meetings, however, stand out as statement results for Forest, each by identical 3-0 scorelines.
Venue Factor
The City Ground provides Nottingham Forest with a passionate home atmosphere that has historically been a difficult venue for visiting sides. Forest's home crowd adds pressure on opponents, particularly one like Tottenham currently sitting 20th and searching for form. Tottenham's away record in this recent form sample includes a 3-0 defeat at Brentford on August 22, suggesting fragility on the road that could be tested further at the City Ground. For Forest, home advantage combined with their recent head-to-head dominance over Tottenham, including 3-0 wins in both of the last two meetings, adds further significance to hosting this fixture. The atmosphere and occasion could play a meaningful role given Tottenham's current league position and the pressure surrounding their form.
Injury Concerns
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
