Nottingham Forest host Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in Matchweek 3 of the Premier League season. Kickoff is scheduled for 15:00 BST.
Neither club has started the new league campaign as hoped. Forest have one point after losing 1-0 to Leeds and drawing 2-2 at Liverpool, while Tottenham remain without a point or a Premier League goal following defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.
The recent head-to-head record adds further pressure on Roberto De Zerbi's visitors. Forest have beaten Spurs in four consecutive league meetings, including two 3-0 victories last season. Tottenham therefore arrive needing both their first league goal and an answer to a matchup that has become increasingly difficult for them.
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Head-to-Head Summary
The wider last-10 record is perfectly balanced:
Nottingham Forest wins: 5
Tottenham wins: 5
Draws: 0
Nottingham Forest goals: 14
Tottenham goals: 14
Those totals disguise a major recent shift. Tottenham won four consecutive league meetings between 2022 and April 2024, but Forest have since taken control. They have won the last four Premier League encounters, scoring nine goals and conceding only once. That recent sequence carries more relevance than the overall 5-5 split.
Last 10 Meetings
The most recent competitive meetings are:
March 22, 2026 – Premier League: Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest
December 14, 2025 – Premier League: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Tottenham
April 21, 2025 – Premier League: Tottenham 1-2 Nottingham Forest
December 26, 2024 – Premier League: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham
April 7, 2024 – Premier League: Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest
December 15, 2023 – Premier League: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Tottenham
March 11, 2023 – Premier League: Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest
November 9, 2022 – League Cup: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Tottenham
August 28, 2022 – Premier League: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Tottenham
September 24, 2014 – League Cup: Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest
Forest's last four league victories are the standout trend. The two 3-0 wins last season were particularly convincing and showed that Forest could hurt Spurs both at home and away. Tottenham's challenge is therefore not simply ending a poor start to this season. They also need to reverse a clear recent tactical and psychological pattern in the fixture.
Nottingham Forest Current Form
Forest's last five competitive results are:
Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leeds United
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leeds United
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bournemouth
Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
That gives Forest two draws and three defeats, with five goals scored and nine conceded. The 2-2 draw at Anfield was considerably more encouraging than the earlier results. Forest led twice through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White and were close to giving Oliver Glasner his first league victory before Liverpool equalised late.
Their main concern is home form this season. Leeds have already won twice at the City Ground, first in the Premier League and then in the Carabao Cup. Forest therefore need the performance level shown at Liverpool rather than a repeat of those two home defeats.
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Tottenham Current Form
Tottenham's last five competitive results are:
Tottenham 0-2 Newcastle United
Tottenham 5-1 Charlton Athletic
Brentford 3-0 Tottenham
Tottenham 1-0 Everton
Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham
That produces two wins and three defeats. The 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Charlton showed that Spurs can create chances under De Zerbi, but their Premier League performances have been much less convincing.
They lost 3-0 at Brentford before being beaten 2-0 by Newcastle at home. Tottenham created 17 shots against Newcastle but failed to convert any of them. That leaves Spurs still searching for their first Premier League goal of the season.
Nottingham Forest Team News and Injuries
Nicolò Savona remains unavailable because of a knee injury. There is more encouraging news around Ibrahim Sangaré, who has been recovering from a calf problem and is expected to return to contention.
Deadline-day signing Daniel Muñoz gives Glasner another option on the right, although his recent nasal surgery means Forest may manage his involvement carefully.
Another new arrival, Liam Delap, made his debut at Liverpool and could compete with Igor Jesus for a starting role against Tottenham. Morgan Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye remain particularly important after both scoring at Anfield.
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Tottenham Team News and Injuries
Tottenham have received a useful boost with Sávio fit and available again. The winger missed the Newcastle defeat with muscle fatigue after making an impressive debut against Charlton, where he scored and created another goal. James Maddison has returned to team training but will not be ready for Saturday.
Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons remain unavailable. New signings Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhailo Mudryk have trained with the squad and could be involved, although neither should automatically be expected to start so soon after joining.
Tactical Match Analysis
This matchup could suit Forest if Tottenham dominate possession without enough protection behind the ball. De Zerbi wants his teams to build patiently from defence and draw opponents forward before playing through pressure. Spurs have already shown signs of that approach, but their first two league games also exposed problems when possession breaks down.
Forest are well equipped to attack those moments. Gibbs-White can receive quickly after turnovers, while Ndoye offers direct running into space. If Tottenham's full-backs advance high, Forest should look to attack the channels immediately.
That approach has contributed to Forest's recent success in this fixture. Tottenham's opportunity comes from moving Forest's defensive block rather than attacking it too directly. Forest are comfortable defending compactly, so Spurs need quicker combinations around the penalty area and better movement between the lines.
Sávio's return could help. His dribbling gives Tottenham a player capable of beating defenders individually and creating situations that do not depend entirely on structured buildup.
Omar Marmoush also offers movement across the front line, while Pedro Porro can provide width and delivery from deeper positions. For Forest, the key is balancing counterattacking ambition with defensive discipline. Spurs may be struggling for goals, but leaving excessive space for De Zerbi's technical players would invite unnecessary pressure.
Key Players to Watch
1. Morgan Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White scored from the penalty spot at Liverpool and remains Forest's main creative link between midfield and attack. His ability to exploit space after turnovers could be decisive.
2. Dan Ndoye
Ndoye also scored at Anfield and gives Forest direct pace. Tottenham's aggressive positioning could create opportunities for him to attack defenders while they are retreating.
3. Sávio
His return gives Spurs another one-on-one threat. After scoring and assisting on his debut against Charlton, he could add the unpredictability Tottenham lacked against Newcastle.
4. Omar Marmoush
Marmoush showed dangerous moments on his Tottenham debut despite the defeat to Newcastle. His movement and ability to attack space could become increasingly important in De Zerbi's system.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Several statistics help define the matchup:
Forest have won the last four Premier League meetings.
They have outscored Spurs 9-1 during that run.
The wider last-10 competitive record is tied at five wins each.
Forest have one point from two league matches this season.
Tottenham have zero points from two.
Spurs are yet to score a Premier League goal.
Forest scored twice and led twice away to Liverpool last weekend.
Tottenham have conceded five league goals without reply.
Current form is poor for both teams, but Forest's recent H2H record is much stronger.
Who Has the Advantage?
Nottingham Forest have a slight statistical advantage. The main reason is not simply home advantage. It is their four consecutive Premier League victories over Tottenham, including two dominant 3-0 wins last season. Forest also produced the better league performance last weekend, taking a point at Anfield after twice leading Liverpool.
Tottenham's squad still contains enough quality to make the fixture difficult, and Sávio's return should improve their attacking options. Their failure to score despite creating numerous chances against Newcastle also suggests the current zero-goal record may not continue indefinitely.
A draw is therefore realistic. However, Tottenham have not yet shown enough under De Zerbi to outweigh Forest's recent superiority in this particular matchup. The evidence gives the hosts the narrower edge.
Conclusion
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham brings together two teams still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season.
Forest showed clear improvement in their 2-2 draw at Liverpool, with Ndoye and Gibbs-White providing the attacking threat that had been missing against Leeds. Tottenham created chances against Newcastle but again failed to score, leaving them pointless after two games.
Recent H2H history strongly favors Forest. They have won four consecutive league meetings and kept clean sheets in three of them. Tottenham's returning players and new signings give De Zerbi more options, so another comfortable Forest victory should not be assumed.
Still, the City Ground, Forest's improved performance at Anfield and their recent dominance of this fixture give Nottingham Forest a slight statistical advantage, with a draw also a credible outcome.