Two games into the new Premier League season and both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur already have plenty to worry about. Saturday’s meeting at the City Ground offers one of them a chance to change the narrative, although neither arrives with much evidence that a comfortable afternoon is on the cards.
Forest at least have a point on the board after recovering twice to draw 2-2 at Liverpool. Tottenham have no such consolation, having lost to Brentford and Newcastle United without scoring in either match.
For Roberto De Zerbi, that represents an awkward start to life in north London. Tottenham have never opened a Premier League campaign with three defeats, although they have not exactly looked like a side determined to preserve that record.
Their biggest problem remains painfully familiar. Since the beginning of last season, Tottenham have conceded the opening goal in 22 matches and have not won any of them, losing 16. That makes the first goal at the City Ground particularly important.
Forest arrive with their own problems
Oliver Glasner is still waiting for his first competitive victory as Nottingham Forest boss, and the City Ground has hardly provided a reliable source of encouragement.
Forest have lost both home matches this season, against Leeds United in the Premier League and EFL Cup, while their only league victory in their last 12 home fixtures came against relegated Burnley in April.
There was, however, something encouraging about the performance at Anfield. Forest led twice through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White before Alexander Isak and Victor Munoz restored parity for Liverpool.
Photo IMAGO
Gibbs-White remains central to their hopes. His penalty against Liverpool took his involvement in Premier League goals during 2026 to 17, second only to Bruno Fernandes, who has 22.
There is another reason for Forest optimism. They have beaten Tottenham in each of their last four Premier League meetings. A fifth successive victory would be a club…
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