Arsenal will travel to City Ground this Saturday to face relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in a must-win game for both sides.
After securing a point in a well-fought 2-2 draw with Chelsea last weekend, the hosts could secure their Premier League (PL) status on Saturday if they win this game.
They will fancy their chances of snatching a result, especially as they are playing at home, where they have enjoyed much of their success this season. Moreover, Steve Cooper’s side scored seven goals across their two most recent home games, which is more than the total they had scored in seven competitive home games prior. So, there is a sense that things have clicked for the Tricky Trees at the crucial point of the season.
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Meanwhile, any Forest success would also see them complete a run of three straight top-flight home wins – a feat not accomplished within the same season since the winter of 1995/96. However, such a feat is unlikely to come easily, with the hosts’ latest home clean sheet dating back to early February.
Meanwhile, Arsenal head to City Ground with a sense of disappointment, having thrown away any hopes of an unlikely title win when Brighton them beat 3-0 in their last game.
That result means that Pep Guardiola’s side need just two points to win the league, and they look likely to achieve that this weekend when they play Chelsea. Yet the Gunners will at least hope to ensure that they keep themselves on City’s toes.
Mikel Arteta’s side’s latest road trip saw a 2-0 win over UEFA Champions League chasers Newcastle after a mini-drought on the road (D2, L1). That win would have given them some cause for optimism. However, with the Gunners squandering 2-0 leads in both draws, the Gunners’ PL-best away record after half-time leads (W8, D3) is a stat worth treating with caution.
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