Dugout Discussion
18 October 2026 310 comments
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There’s one more Premier League game still to come today: Nottingham Forest v Arsenal.

Kick-off at the City Ground is at 16:30 BST.

These are the division’s two best defences based on expected goals conceded (xGC).

It’s not been so good for Forest at the other end of the field, however – they’ve not scored a single Premier League goal at home all season.

TEAM NEWS

The headline team news is that Morgan Gibbs-White misses out with the muscle injury that has plagued him all week.

It sounds like he’ll be fit for Gameweek 8, however.

“If this had been the last game of the season, Morgan would have played today.” – Oliver Glasner

Nicolás Domínguez replaces the England international.

There’s one other alteration to the Forest XI from last Sunday as Jair Cunha comes in for Ola Aina at centre-half.

Nikola Milenkovic is back on the bench after recovering from a bone bruise.

And there are also two Arsenal changes from their previous league outing, a hard-earned 2-1 win over Leeds United.

Bruno Guimaraes and Eberechi Eze both start as Myles Lewis-Skelly and Noni Madueke are demoted to substitute duty.

Riccardo Calafiori, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz all had welcome midweek breathers, either in the form of second-half cameos against Lille or complete rests, and are back in the side today.

LINE-UPS

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Jair, Diomande, Murillo, Muñoz, Domínguez, Schlager, Williams, Ndoye, McAtee, Delap.

Subs: John Victor, Sangaré, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Kalimuendo, Yates, Netz, Milenković, Aina.

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Gabriel, Konsa, Calafiori, Rice, Guimaraes, Odegaard, Eze, Saka, Havertz.

Subs: Meslier, Timber, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Zubimendi, Merino, Madueke, Dowman, Gyokeres.


LIVE GAMEWEEK 7 PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

Forest v Arsenal

You can follow all the day’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the FPL Toolkit section.

Here you can track the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DefCon) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out.

And there’s also the all-new Match Centre to explore. Here, you’ll find stats, heatmaps, rolling xG graphs and more on every Premier League fixture.

A lot is free for all, with Chief Scout Members getting full access.

310 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    8 hours, 10 mins ago

    Name the only player to get knocked out of the F.A.Cup in the 3rd round
    Yet still go on to pick up a winners medal in the same year

    1. MetallicaJack93
      8 hours, 9 mins ago

      Phil Jones

    2. el polako
      8 hours, 9 mins ago

      Chuck Norris.

    3. La Roja
      8 hours, 8 mins ago

      That’s easy

      Guehi

      1. keefy59
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        8 hours, 7 mins ago

        Yes a good pub quiz question due to the cup tied rule being abolished last season

        1. La Roja
          8 hours, 6 mins ago

          Get in there! :mrgreen:

  2. el polako
    8 hours, 9 mins ago

    Arsenal are putting too much faith in City being kicked out before end of the season.

  3. Gizzachance
    8 hours, 9 mins ago

    Ars haven’t been to impressive in last couple, get the results
    Brighton very impressive though

    1. Lost for Wirtz
      8 hours, 7 mins ago

      You heard it here first, Brighton to win the league

      1. keefy59
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        8 hours, 5 mins ago

        Gameweek 38 Arsenal at home to Brighton
        The title decider ?

      2. Fifa las vegas
        8 hours, 3 mins ago

        How will Brighton fair throughout fixtures when Europe gets busier?

  4. Zalk
    8 hours, 8 mins ago

    Madueke having to pull his pants down all the time is hilarious

  5. g40steve
    8 hours, 8 mins ago

    Timbers first touch give away corner

    1. Jafooli
      8 hours, 4 mins ago

      Very wooden performance so far…

      1. Deulofail
        7 hours, 49 mins ago

        Playing like a dead copse

  6. hazza44
    8 hours, 6 mins ago

    Szoboszlai to which one??
    A) Manzambi
    B) Tavernier

    1. La Roja
      8 hours, 6 mins ago

      Still b

    2. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      8 hours, 1 min ago

      I think you’ll want both

  7. Thanos
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    Delap’s shooting is so bad

  8. La Roja
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    Konsa on for 3 baps good lad

    1. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 59 mins ago

      But only 3 defcons - would normally be correlated for defenders , no?

    2. Els365
      7 hours, 59 mins ago

      Raya also on 3. Fpl towers suspect in their bps. Im sure one has 3ple defence or konsa with raya as goalie

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        7 hours, 58 mins ago

        It’s pretty transparent how the bonus point scoring is done

        1. Els365
          7 hours, 52 mins ago

          Not questioning Konsas but Rayas for making only 2 saves

  9. g40steve
    8 hours, 5 mins ago

    Rice wtaf

    1. Jafooli
      8 hours, 4 mins ago

      Over cooked…

  10. el polako
    8 hours, 4 mins ago

    Saka is playing.
    Wow.

  11. PartyTime
    8 hours, 1 min ago

    Saka is just an inflated Tyrique George

  12. JBG
    8 hours ago

    Score already Forest -_-

  13. Jafooli
    8 hours ago

    Five years since Arsenal played a game without a shot on target…

    1. Jafooli
      7 hours, 56 mins ago

      Jinx

  14. g40steve
    7 hours, 59 mins ago

    0 shots on target Ars

    1. el polako
      7 hours, 58 mins ago

      Despite having 6 corner kicks.
      Standards are slipping.

    2. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 57 mins ago

      Raya stealing the baps for making 2(!) saves, while Sels having a hard time keeping warm

  15. F4L
    7 hours, 59 mins ago

    oh fck big gabby is on for an 11 pointer 😆

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 59 mins ago

      Hoooold
      Hopefully gets a 17 pointer

    2. Deulofail
      7 hours, 58 mins ago

      10 mins ago yeah

    3. JBG
      7 hours, 55 mins ago

      The GW I sold him for Bogle.. rage sold tbf

  16. el polako
    7 hours, 56 mins ago

    I understand that last season they were doing whatever it takes to win the title.

    But surely this year the pressure should be off and they can start playing football?

  17. g40steve
    7 hours, 56 mins ago

    Mad G

  18. F4L
    7 hours, 56 mins ago

    madueke g
    rice a

  19. La Roja
    7 hours, 55 mins ago

    Who takes penalties for Arsenal when both Saka and Gyokeyers on pitch

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 55 mins ago

      Ødegaard 😉

  20. Gudjohnsen
    7 hours, 54 mins ago

    Most boring champions ever.

    1. Deulofail
      7 hours, 52 mins ago

      You don't remember "Boring, boring City"? Boring despite their financial advantage

  21. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 hours, 53 mins ago

    Really need this clean sheet wiped

    1. Cojones of Destiny
      7 hours, 51 mins ago

      no

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 51 mins ago

      *FPL Poop

      😉

    3. JBG
      7 hours, 51 mins ago

      Won't happen NFO couldn't score when MGW created 50 chances for them.. they're without him now

  22. Coaly
    7 hours, 49 mins ago

    Manzambi or Saka in for MGW?

    Yes, really

  23. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    7 hours, 49 mins ago

    HOOOLLLDDDD Calafiori or get subbed lol

  24. Gudjohnsen
    7 hours, 48 mins ago

    A power midfield of Bruno, Saka and Palmer

    This is the way

    1. el polako
      7 hours, 48 mins ago

      Consistent.

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 hours, 48 mins ago

      The way to do what exactly

    3. Brosstan
      7 hours, 46 mins ago

      The road to rank 5m

  25. el polako
    7 hours, 48 mins ago

    Late equaliser from Chris Wood would be great.

  26. Sid07
    7 hours, 47 mins ago

    Wissa to
    1) DCL
    2) Isak

    1. Assisting the assister
      7 hours, 46 mins ago

      2

    2. Gudjohnsen
      7 hours, 46 mins ago

      2

    3. Assisting the assister
      7 hours, 45 mins ago

      I’ll probably do DCL as don’t have funds for Isak

  27. SM001
    7 hours, 46 mins ago

    Chris Should

  28. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 hours, 46 mins ago

    Wood with triple Arsenal defence in his FPL team

    1. Deulofail
      7 hours, 45 mins ago

      I've got:

  29. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    7 hours, 45 mins ago

    Wow

  30. Brosstan
    7 hours, 44 mins ago

    Arsenal 1 SoT... and it was a deflected shot. Dullards