Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur| Match Preview & Prediction & Report | 2026/2027 | Premier League

Premier League 2026/27 – Matchweek 3
Saturday, 5 September 2026 | The City Ground, Nottingham

Nottingham Forest welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the City Ground in a Matchweek 3 fixture carrying early significance for two teams still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season.

Forest arrive with one point from their opening two matches, but their 2–2 draw away to Liverpool offered considerable encouragement. Tottenham's situation is more concerning. Roberto De Zerbi's side have lost their opening two league matches without scoring, leaving Spurs under immediate pressure to produce a response before the international break.

Nottingham Forest

Forest's results do not fully reflect their performances so far.

They began the season with a defeat against Leeds United before travelling to Anfield in Matchweek 2, where they produced a much stronger display against Liverpool.

Forest twice led through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White, with Gibbs-White converting a second-half penalty after Neco Williams had been fouled by Alisson. Liverpool eventually rescued a 2–2 draw through Victor Muñoz in the 82nd minute.

More importantly from an analytical perspective, Forest did not simply survive at Anfield. Their performance was competitive enough to suggest Oliver Glasner's tactical ideas are beginning to take shape.

The club also completed a significant first transfer window under Glasner, spending around £100 million while strengthening several areas of the squad.

Forest therefore enter this match without a victory but with considerably more positive momentum than their league position might suggest.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham's opening two matches have created a very different mood.

Spurs began the campaign with a 3–0 defeat away to Brentford before losing 2–0 at home to Newcastle United. They are therefore still waiting for both their first point and first Premier League goal under De Zerbi.

That represents a historically poor start: Tottenham have lost their opening two Premier League matches without scoring for the first time in the competition's history.

There is context.

De Zerbi inherited a squad requiring substantial reconstruction, and Tottenham responded with an extremely active summer transfer window. The problem is that several new players are still adapting while important attacking options have been unavailable or short of full fitness.

Two matches are far too few to judge the wider project.

But another poor attacking performance at the City Ground would inevitably increase scrutiny.
Tactical Analysis
Nottingham Forest's Expected Approach

Glasner has little reason to attempt to dominate possession against De Zerbi's Tottenham.

Forest's most dangerous route is likely to emerge when Spurs have the ball.

Expect the hosts to focus on:

- maintaining a compact defensive structure;
- pressing Tottenham at selected build-up triggers;
- attacking immediately after turnovers;
- releasing runners into the channels;
- using Morgan Gibbs-White between midfield and attack;
- targeting set pieces;
- exploiting the space behind Tottenham's advanced players.

This tactical profile could suit Forest particularly well.

De Zerbi wants his teams to build from deep and attract opposition pressure before playing through it. But committing players towards the ball naturally creates space elsewhere. Forest possess exactly the type of vertical attacking players capable of exploiting those spaces.

Tottenham's Expected Approach

Tottenham's challenge is more complicated.

Abandoning De Zerbi's possession principles after two league matches would make little sense. Spurs need to continue developing their build-up structure while becoming significantly more productive in the final third.

Expect Tottenham to:

- build patiently from defence;
- invite Forest's first pressing line forward;
- create numerical advantages centrally;
- position attackers between Forest's defensive lines;
- counter-press aggressively following turnovers;
- attempt to keep Forest away from transition situations.

The final point may be the most important. Tottenham can have 60 per cent possession and still lose control of this match if their turnovers repeatedly produce Forest counter-attacks. 
Team News

Forest's injury situation appears relatively manageable.

Nicolò Savona remains unavailable with a knee injury, while Ibrahim Sangaré has recovered sufficiently from his calf problem to be considered fit. Glasner also has another option following the late arrival of Daniel Muñoz, who could potentially feature at right wing-back.

Tottenham have more substantial availability concerns.

Simons, Odobert and Kulusevski are unavailable, while Maddison remains doubtful. Savio is expected to have a better chance of returning. Spurs also added Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhaylo Mudryk at the end of the transfer window, giving De Zerbi additional options for this fixture. The final starting XI therefore matters considerably before committing to attacking Tottenham markets.

Betting Patterns Insights
This is an excellent example of a match where reputation and current evidence point in different directions. Tottenham remain the bigger club with substantial individual quality. But the available evidence currently favours Forest.

Spurs have:
0 points
0 goals scored
5 goals conceded

Forest, meanwhile, have just produced a highly competitive performance at Anfield and have beaten Tottenham in four consecutive league meetings.

That does not automatically mean Forest should win. The danger is overreacting to two matches.

Tottenham's summer rebuild means their ceiling is considerably higher than their opening results suggest, and one successful attacking performance could rapidly change perceptions. The more reliable pattern may therefore concern match structure rather than outright result.

Forest have little incentive to open the contest. They can allow Tottenham possession, protect central areas and wait for mistakes.

Spurs, meanwhile, desperately need to avoid conceding first. That could produce a relatively controlled opening period before the match becomes more stretched after half-time.
Best Betting Angles
※ Nottingham Forest Draw No Bet※ Second Half — Most Goals
Final Verdict
The pressure is unquestionably greater on Tottenham.

Two defeats without scoring represent a deeply disappointing start to the De Zerbi era, and a trip to the City Ground is hardly an ideal fixture in which to recover. Forest have beaten Spurs in four consecutive Premier League meetings, including a 3–0 victory at this stadium last season. More importantly, their current tactical profile looks well suited to exploiting Tottenham's problems.

Glasner can allow Spurs to have possession without surrendering control.

Forest's objective will be to remain compact, force Tottenham into difficult central combinations and then attack quickly whenever possession changes. Tottenham undoubtedly possess enough talent to break their scoring drought, particularly if some of their returning attackers are available. But until De Zerbi's possession structure begins producing consistent chances, backing Spurs away from home carries considerable risk.

Forest have the clearer tactical route to victory.
Confidence: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Nottingham Forest 0 : 0 Tottenham Hotspur