The 22nd matchday of the Premier League season will open up with an exciting clash between the 3rd-placed Arsenal and the 16th-placed Nottingham Forest.Â
Arsenal is coming up from a win that looked like they were finally picking the pace back up, needing to catch up to the top-placed Liverpool. The Gunners come in with 13 wins, four draws, and for losses.
On the opposing side, the 16th-placed Nottingham Forest is trying to pick things up after their short two-win streak was broken by Brentford. Their record shows five wins, five draws, and 11 losses, which isn’t the best momentum to face a top team.
When and where:
Tuesday, January 30, 2:30 PM ET at City Ground
Betting odds:
Nottingham Forest 7.49
Arsenal 1.46
Draw Offs:
4.98
Where Can I Watch it?
Why Bet on Nottingham Forest?
Nottingham Forest (5-5-11) were denied a third consecutive victory in their last contest as they dropped a 3-2 at Brentford.
The Tricky Trees are led offensively by forward Chris Wood, who is tied for 10th in the EPL with eight goals. The 32-year-old has converted in three of his last four matches, including a 3-1 victory at Newcastle on Dec. 26 in which he registered a hat trick. Wood hasn’t reached double digits in goals since accomplishing the feat in four consecutive seasons with Burnley from 2017-21. At that time, he was a key piece in the Clarets’ constant quests for survival.
The team is not complicated with relegation. However, the menace of a point deduction could change the situation quickly.
Why Bet on Arsenal?
Arsenal comes in an attempt to post back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly two months.
The Gunners (13-4-4) avoided a three-game losing streak in the Premier League by trouncing Crystal Palace 5-0 last time. However, they are just 2-1-3 since reeling off four straight wins from Nov. 11-Dec. 5.
They are one of the top offensive teams in the Premier League, ranking fifth with 42 conversions, and they are third with a plus-22 differential. Nine players have netted three or more goals this season, with winger Bukayo Saka leading the club with six.Â
However, even if they score a healthy amount of goals, the lack of a quality goal-scoring reference has taken a toll. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketia have not been up to the task, not even reaching double digits between the two in more than half a season.
Final Betting Analysis: Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal
Nottingham Forest is currently four points above the dropzone but faces the possibility of a points deduction due to FFP breaches. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side needs to start climbing up the table to further solidify their status. The West Bridgford outfit is seeking to win successive home league games for the first time this season and will be quietly confident, having won each of the last three home games against Arsenal.
The most recent of those effectively ended Mikel Arteta’s side’s title aspirations last season and a repeat here could also put paid to their dreams this term. The 41-year-old was the subject of exit speculation over the weekend, and a win could help ease some of the furor surrounding his future in the Emirates dugout.
This could be a close affair, but we are tipping Arsenal to narrowly nick the game and leave with maximum points. We’ll bet for a 1-2.
Go for a victory for the visitors at 1.46. If you bet $100 at such odds, you could get $46 for a total payout of $146.