'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
BBC pundit and former Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton has backed Arsenal to beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 this weekend. The two teams will meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (October 30) for their first Premier League encounter in nearly 24 years.
The Gunners are currently top of the league with 28 points from 11 matches, two clear of second-placed Manchester City. Forest, meanwhile, are rock bottom with just nine points from 12 games. They are two points away from safety, with 17th-placed Leicester City picking up 11 points so far.
Despite their respective positions in the Premier League standings, Sutton believes the two clubs' recent results gave him some food for thought. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Southampton last weekend. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, beat Liverpool 1-0 at the City Ground behind an impressive team display.
Trending
Nevertheless, Sutton predicted a 2-0 win for the hosts and wrote in his column for the BBC:
"This is top of the table versus bottom, but the way last weekend's games went for both teams made me stop and think about this one a bit more.
"I am still going for Arsenal to win, but they looked a bit tired in the second half of their draw with Southampton on Sunday, and they have got a Europa League tie against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday too."
The former footballer's comments notably came before the Gunners' UEFA Europa League encounter in midweek. Mikel Arteta's side lost 2-0 to PSV Eindhoven on Thursday (October 27).
Sutton continued:
"Forest have been a bit more stubborn in their past couple of games and have kept two clean sheets. They seem to have found a bit of defensive stability and it is down to Arsenal to find a way through."
He concluded:
"Because they are at home, I have to back the Gunners, but these next few weeks before the season stops for the World Cup will tell us a lot about their squad, and whether it is strong enough."
What happened when Nottingham Forest and Arsenal last met in the Premier League?
Fans of both sides will certainly remember the two teams' FA Cup third-round clash from last season. Nottingham Forest picked up a stunning 1-0 win in January this year courtesy of Lewis Grabban's 83rd-minute winner to dump Arsenal out of the competition.
The teams have also met twice in the EFL Cup and on one other occasion in the FA Cup over the last six years. The Gunners won both ties in the former competition, while Forest thrashed them 4-2 in the third round of the 2017-18 FA Cup.
However, the last time they met in the Premier League was back in January 1999. Defender Martin Keown scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal won 1-0 at the City Ground. In fact, the north London outfit have won four of their last five league meetings against Forest.
