Football betting tips: Premier League
1pt Jurrien Timber to be shown a card at 6/1 (Sky Bet)
1pt Timber and Neco Williams to be shown a card at 20/1 (Sky Bet)
BuildABet @ 42/1
- Jurrien Timber to be shown a card
- Neco Williams to be shown a card
- Neco Williams 3+ tackles
- Jurrien Timber 2+ tackles
While it's the defining part of Nottingham Forest's season, we shouldn't let recent poor results take away from the remarkable campaign they've enjoyed.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side have lost three of their last four yet remain third in the Premier League table. They can't allow further slip-ups though if they are to earn a spot in the 25/26 edition of the Champions League.
And that in itself is a statement of how far they've come. But it's a dangerous mindset. Losing their grip on a European spot would leave a disappointed feeling among the Forest faithful - a becoming of "what could have been" as opposed to a late charge which didn't quite have enough.
Arsenal's own domestic campaign has once again not hit the required level. They are another who have enjoyed a brilliant transformation under current management but haven't hit the objectives they likely hold.
A campaign or two in second offers hope; a third likely to be greeted with displeasure instead of delight.
The title is gone - the Liverpool machine too strong to falter - leaving the Gunners in a situation where the campaign, in the Premier League anyway, fizzles away into nothing.
The pressure really is on a positive result for the home side. Do that and the confidence of a top four finish returns. Defeat could leave them clumped in with several other teams in the race.
What are the best bets?
There is the potential for this to become quite a scrappy contest.
Four yellows were shown in the first-half of the previous meeting between these two sides when Arsenal held a 1-0 lead - they would go onto win 3-0.
A referee in Andy Madley also helps the possibility of cards. He's dished out at least four in nine of his 13 Premier League outings this season.
JURRIEN TIMBER is one player to target with his 6/1 price TO BE CARDED particularly appealing considering his likely position on the pitch.
Timber has featured at right-back in each of Arsenal's last four league games and that should continue here. That's particularly important considering how Forest set up their attacks.
A league-leading 46% of attacks are created down Forest's left side. The opposition right-back has been booked in two of their last four in the league.
And then you have Timber's own record. He's been booked eight times across Premier League and Champions League outings with at least two fouls in three of his last four top-flight matches.
Given the likelihood of Forest attacking often down his side, Timber should be in for another busy evening here.
While the price is appealing enough as a single, I am interested in the 20s available on BOTH TIMBER AND NECO WILLIAMS TO BE SHOWN A CARD given Arsenal's attacking patterns.
There is the possibility that they directly face each other at various points of the match anyway, but like Forest down their left, Arsenal are league-leaders when it comes to creating attacks down their right.
They've seen 46% of the attacks down their right compared with just 33% down the left. West Ham left-back Ollie Scarles was booked in their last outing.
Williams has returned 11 successful tackles over his previous three games with two fouls coming in the 7-0 win over Brighton and the 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
He's been carded four times this season and this looks like a contest where he could pick up a fifth - that doesn't carry a suspension at this stage of the campaign.
Team news
Nuno Espirito Santo has a near full squad to choose from for Wednesday's visit of the Gunners. Substitute goalkeeper Carlos Miguel is the only player out through injury.
For Arsenal, they are still dealing with a number of first team players being out.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu all remain sidelined with longer term injuries.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended following his red card in the 1-0 loss to West Ham which means Riccardo Calafiori is likely to take his place in the XI.
Predicted line-ups
Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Dominguez; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Sterling, Merino, Trossard.
Match facts
- Nottingham Forest have lost seven of their last eight Premier League games against Arsenal, with the exception being a 1-0 home win in May 2023.
- Arsenal won this exact fixture 2-1 last season, but haven’t won consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest since a run of four between 1987 and 1990.
- Nottingham Forest have alternated between failing to win (D1 L5) and winning (5) in their last 11 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games, drawing 1-1 against Liverpool last time out in January.
- Arsenal have won 12 of their last 13 evening kick-offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League, including their last nine in a row since a 2-0 home loss to West Ham in December 2023.
- Nottingham Forest have won five of their last six Premier League home games (D1), as many as they had in their previous 20 (D4 L11).
- Arsenal’s 15-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end with a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham last time out. They’ve not lost consecutive league games since December 2023, the first of which was a home loss to West Ham.
- Arsenal have had five red cards in the Premier League this season, with the last two of those being Myles Lewis-Skelly (vs Wolves and West Ham). In just three campaigns have the Gunners received more reds in the competition – 1998-99 (7), 2001-02 (6) and 2010-11 (6).
- Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espírito Santo has lost each of his last three Premier League meetings with Arsenal (one with Tottenham, both with Forest). In his managerial career, the only sides against which he has suffered 4+ consecutive league defeats are Benfica (4 from 2012 to 2014) and Liverpool (7 from 2018 to 2024).
- 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored his first ever Premier League goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the reverse fixture. The only player to score home and away goals against an opponent before turning 18 in a single Premier League campaign is Wayne Rooney (vs Arsenal in 2002-03).
- Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood has been involved in six goals in his last three Premier League home games (5 goals, 1 assist), netting a hat-trick against Brighton last time out. It’s the first time he’s scored in three home games in a row in the competition.
Odds correct at 1135 GMT (25/02/25)
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