Watchability: Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
AI Match Analysis
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham: Early-Season Pressure Test — Premier League — September 05, 2026
Introduction
Nottingham Forest welcome Tottenham to the City Ground on Saturday with both sides still searching for their first Premier League victory of the campaign. Forest sit 15th on one point after a 2-2 draw at Liverpool and a 1-0 home loss to Leeds, while Tottenham prop up the table in 20th with zero points and zero goals from defeats at Brentford (3-0) and at home to Newcastle (2-0). The visitors have conceded five times in two league outings; Forest have shipped three. Neither manager — Oliver Glasner or Roberto De Zerbi — will want the international break to arrive with their team still winless.
Why Watch
Forest’s recent form reads LD in the league but expands to WDLWL across all competitions, including a credible draw at Anfield where they led twice through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White. Tottenham’s last five show LL in the league but WDLWL overall thanks to a 5-1 EFL Cup win over Charlton. The head-to-head trend is striking: Forest have won the last four meetings, including 3-0 victories at both grounds last season (December 2025 at the City Ground, March 2026 in North London). Over the last seven encounters, Forest hold a 4-3 edge. With both defences leaky — Forest conceding 1.5 per game, Tottenham 2.5 — and both attacks capable of moments, the 56/100 entertaining-history component of the Watchability Score feels earned.
Tactical Breakdown
Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 at Anfield generated 2.3 expected goals against Liverpool’s 1.61, with the wing-backs (Ola Aina and Neco Williams) providing width and Gibbs-White operating in the pockets behind Igor Jesus. Forest’s 1.47 xG per game this season suggests they create chances; their 1.05 xGA indicates they limit quality. Tottenham’s numbers tell a different story: 0.76 xG for and 2.35 xGA against across their two league matches. De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 has yet to click — Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur offer control but the front three (likely Savio, Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush) have produced no league goals
Head to Head
Recent Meetings
Last 7 meetings: 4W-0D-3L
Team Form
Nottingham Forest
0W-1D-1L
Tottenham
0W-0D-2L
Key Players
Top Scorers
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
Players to Watch
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
League Standings
Premier League
| MP | W | D | L | G | +/- | P | Form | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Manchester City
|
7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 19:7 | 12 | 21 |
W
W
W
W
W
|
|
2
|
Arsenal
|
7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 11:5 | 6 | 18 |
W
W
L
W
W
|
|
3
|
Brighton
|
7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 23:5 | 18 | 16 |
D
W
W
W
W
|
|
4
|
Chelsea
|
7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 17:13 | 4 | 13 |
L
D
L
W
W
|
|
5
|
Liverpool
|
7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9:8 | 1 | 12 |
W
D
W
L
W
|
|
6
|
Brentford
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 13:8 | 5 | 10 |
D
D
W
D
L
|
|
7
|
Leeds
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9:6 | 3 | 10 |
D
W
D
L
D
|
|
8
|
Everton
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8:7 | 1 | 10 |
D
D
W
D
L
|
|
9
|
Hull City
|
7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8:7 | 1 | 9 |
D
D
L
D
L
|
|
10
|
Ipswich
|
7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11:15 | -4 | 9 |
L
W
L
W
L
|
|
11
|
Newcastle
|
7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10:14 | -4 | 8 |
D
L
W
L
L
|
|
12
|
Aston Villa
|
7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7:11 | -4 | 8 |
D
L
W
D
W
|
|
13
|
Manchester United
|
7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10:10 | 0 | 7 |
D
L
D
D
D
|
|
14
|
Crystal Palace
|
7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9:17 | -8 | 7 |
W
L
D
W
L
|
|
15
|
Bournemouth
|
7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9:13 | -4 | 6 |
D
D
L
L
W
|
|
16
|
Tottenham
|
7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6:10 | -4 | 6 |
D
D
L
D
W
|
|
17
|
Coventry
|
7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6:14 | -8 | 6 |
L
L
W
W
L
|
|
18
|
Fulham
|
7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7:10 | -3 | 5 |
L
D
D
L
W
|
|
19
|
Nottingham Forest
|
7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5:9 | -4 | 5 |
D
W
L
L
L
|
|
20
|
Sunderland
|
7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6:14 | -8 | 4 |
D
L
L
L
L
|
Head to Head
Recent Meetings
Last 7 meetings: 4W-0D-3L
Team Form
Nottingham Forest
0W-1D-1L
Tottenham
0W-0D-2L
Key Players
Top Scorers
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
Players to Watch
Nottingham Forest
Tottenham
League Standings
Premier League
| MP | W | D | L | G | +/- | P | Form | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Manchester City
|
7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 19:7 | 12 | 21 |
W
W
W
|
|
2
|
Arsenal
|
7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 11:5 | 6 | 18 |
W
W
L
|
|
3
|
Brighton
|
7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 23:5 | 18 | 16 |
D
W
W
|
|
4
|
Chelsea
|
7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 17:13 | 4 | 13 |
L
D
L
|
|
5
|
Liverpool
|
7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9:8 | 1 | 12 |
W
D
W
|
|
6
|
Brentford
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 13:8 | 5 | 10 |
D
D
W
|
|
7
|
Leeds
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9:6 | 3 | 10 |
D
W
D
|
|
8
|
Everton
|
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8:7 | 1 | 10 |
D
D
W
|
|
9
|
Hull City
|
7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8:7 | 1 | 9 |
D
D
L
|
|
10
|
Ipswich
|
7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11:15 | -4 | 9 |
L
W
L
|
|
11
|
Newcastle
|
7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10:14 | -4 | 8 |
D
L
W
|
|
12
|
Aston Villa
|
7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7:11 | -4 | 8 |
D
L
W
|
|
13
|
Manchester United
|
7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10:10 | 0 | 7 |
D
L
D
|
|
14
|
Crystal Palace
|
7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9:17 | -8 | 7 |
W
L
D
|
|
15
|
Bournemouth
|
7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9:13 | -4 | 6 |
D
D
L
|
|
16
|
Tottenham
|
7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6:10 | -4 | 6 |
D
D
L
|
|
17
|
Coventry
|
7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6:14 | -8 | 6 |
L
L
W
|
|
18
|
Fulham
|
7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7:10 | -3 | 5 |
L
D
D
|
|
19
|
Nottingham Forest
|
7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5:9 | -4 | 5 |
D
W
L
|
|
20
|
Sunderland
|
7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6:14 | -8 | 4 |
D
L
L
|
About This Match Preview
Is this match worth watching?
This match scores 70/100. Games rated 85+ are must-watch, 60-84 are recommended, and below 40 have limited appeal. Use the score to decide if this game deserves your time.
What goes into the watchability score?
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