Nottingham Forest host Tottenham Hotspur at The City Ground on September 5, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 local time. This Premier League matchday-three fixture brings together two teams still searching for their first league victory of the season. Forest are 15th after collecting one point from two games, while Tottenham sit 20th following consecutive defeats. The hosts arrive with renewed confidence after drawing 2-2 against Liverpool, but their longer-term home record remains a concern. Spurs, meanwhile, have conceded five unanswered goals across their opening two league matches and are still waiting to score their first Premier League goal of the campaign. With both clubs adjusting under new managers and seeking an immediate improvement, this is an important early-season contest.

Nottingham Forest Recent Form and Key Statistics

Nottingham Forest began the 2026-27 campaign with two defeats against Leeds. They suffered a 1-0 home loss in their Premier League opener before being beaten 2-0 at home in the EFL Cup. However, Oliver Glasner’s team produced a much stronger response away to Liverpool on August 29, earning a 2-2 draw after twice finding the net.

Morgan Gibbs-White was central to that improved display, creating the opening goal for Dan Ndoye before converting a penalty. Gibbs-White has recorded 17 Premier League goal involvements during 2026, with only Bruno Fernandes registering more at 22. The midfielder is therefore a major attacking figure for Forest heading into this fixture. Liam Delap, who appeared from the bench against Liverpool, will also hope to play a more prominent role.

Forest’s last five matches have produced two victories, one draw and two defeats. Across that sequence, they averaged 1.2 goals scored and 1.2 conceded per game. Their Premier League record this season stands at no wins, one draw and one loss, with averages of 1.0 goal scored and 1.5 allowed. Their underlying numbers have been more encouraging, as Forest hold an xG difference of +0.7 compared with Tottenham’s -4.2.

The main reservation concerns their performances at The City Ground, where they have won only one of their last 12 league fixtures. Three of Forest’s previous 10 Premier League home games ended without a goal being scored, underlining the inconsistency they must overcome. On the other hand, each of their last 11 matches has featured at least one second-half goal, suggesting that their games frequently open up after the interval.

Glasner will be without Ibrahim Sangare, who has a calf strain, and Nicolo Savona, who remains unavailable because of a knee injury. Daniel Muñoz could make his Forest debut. He previously accumulated 11 goals and 15 assists in 109 appearances for Crystal Palace.

Tottenham Hotspur Recent Form and Key Statistics

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a difficult opening to their Premier League season. Roberto De Zerbi’s side lost 3-0 away to Brentford in their first league fixture before suffering a 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle United on August 29. As a result, Spurs have no points, no league goals and an average of 2.5 goals conceded per match after two rounds.

There was a positive result between those defeats, with Tottenham beating Championship opposition Charlton 5-1 at home in the EFL Cup. Their overall numbers from the last five matches are therefore less severe than their league record: two wins, one draw and two losses, accompanied by averages of 2.0 goals scored and 1.6 conceded. Even so, their -4.2 xG difference in the Premier League highlights how challenging their opening league performances have been.

Tottenham have made extensive changes to their squad, adding Tonali, Van Hecke, Senesi, Savio, Marmoush and Fernandes following expenditure of more than £300 million. The new arrivals provide De Zerbi with additional attacking options, although the process of integrating so many players may require time.

Spurs also have several availability concerns. Maddison, Simons, Odobert and Kulusevski are among those set to miss the match, while Savio could also be unavailable due to muscle cramps. These absences add to the challenge facing a team attempting to avoid three straight Premier League defeats at the beginning of a season, something Tottenham have not experienced since 1979.

The away statistics indicate that the contest could change significantly after half-time. At least one second-half goal has been scored in Tottenham’s last 12 away matches and in their previous 10 Premier League away fixtures. The same trend has occurred in 20 of their last 22 games across all competitions and in 19 of their most recent 21 league matches. Spurs have also been behind at half-time in six of their last 10 away games, including six of their previous 10 Premier League trips.

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur Match Analysis

The recent head-to-head record gives Nottingham Forest a notable psychological advantage. Forest have won four consecutive meetings with Tottenham, including two 3-0 victories last season. The most recent encounter finished 3-0 on March 22, 2026. Across the supplied five-match head-to-head summary, Forest have four wins and one defeat, scoring an average of 2.0 goals and conceding only 0.8 per game.

The hosts will look to build on their spirited performance at Liverpool, where Gibbs-White and Ndoye helped them turn improved attacking play into two goals. Carrying that momentum back to The City Ground is the immediate objective, although one home league win in 12 matches means their venue has not consistently delivered an advantage. The stated win probabilities still favor Forest at 44%, compared with 24% for the draw and 31% for Tottenham.

Tottenham’s league attack has yet to produce a goal, but their 5-1 cup victory and the addition of several attacking players demonstrate that they have scoring options available. Their defensive record, however, is an obvious vulnerability after conceding five times in two Premier League matches. Forest have also allowed an average of 1.5 goals per league game, leaving both teams with areas for the opposition to target.

The statistical outlook points toward an open contest rather than a completely controlled game. Both Teams To Score carries a 57% probability, while Over 2.5 goals is rated at 54%. The repeated second-half scoring trends for both clubs strengthen the possibility of the match becoming more expansive as it progresses. Forest’s recent improvement, Tottenham’s attacking additions and the defensive issues visible in the opening league fixtures all support the expectation that each side can create scoring opportunities.

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction from BetMines: Both Teams To Score (Yes) with 57% probability.