Dugout Discussion
17 January 2026 600 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Buoyed by Manchester City’s defeat in the early kick-off, Arsenal will be hoping to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League this evening.

Their match at Nottingham Forest kicks off at 17:30 GMT.

TEAM NEWS

It became apparent in December that Mikel Arteta is averse to starting Bukayo Saka three times in a week. Now, even successive games seem to be beyond him.

Despite a rest against Portsmouth last weekend, and despite the upcoming UEFA Champions League game against Inter effectively being a dead rubber for the Gunners, Saka finds himself on the bench again this evening.

So too does Leandro Trossard, with Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli coming in.

The other change from Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg is the return of David Raya at the expense of cup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

There’s still no Piero Hincapie in the Gunners’ squad. Cristhian Mosqueraruled out for “weeks” by Arteta only on Tuesday – does make the bench, however.

Gabriel Magalhaes starts for the fourth time in 10 days.

Having savaged his second string after their performance in the FA Cup against Wrexham, Sean Dyche unsurprisingly goes back to his regulars this evening.

There’s just one change from Gameweek 21, with Ibrahima Sangare coming in for Omari Hutchinson.

LINE-UPS

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus.

Subs: Gunn, Morato, Awoniyi, Luiz, Ndoye, Hutchinson, Yates, McAtee, Savona.

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Saka, Jesus, Eze, Trossard, Merino, Havertz, Lewis-Skelly.

LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout this season is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow 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, as seen below:

Saka benched again

price change predictions
600 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    7 hours, 37 mins ago

    Gyokeres one pointer 🙁

  2. F4L
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 37 mins ago

    so close to the perfecti-ish goal 😥

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 36 mins ago

      *perfect

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        7 hours, 35 mins ago

        Rice G
        Saka A
        ?

        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          7 hours, 35 mins ago

          yeah that'd be the top tier perfect goal 🙂

  3. People in Preston
    • 15 Years
    7 hours, 37 mins ago

    Any other Wirtz captainers, Palmer and Sanchez owners hanging around, feeling good, but keeping silent and magnanimous?

    40 from 3 ain't a bad result this GW.

    For ignoring the noise and being bold.

    1. Tomerick
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 30 mins ago

      No Palmer but Wirtz cap and Sanchez owner here. Took me to the top of the mini league in a sea of Haaland captains.

  4. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    7 hours, 36 mins ago

    Arteta winning the league playing that football will be a real disgrace

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 34 mins ago

      40 scored, second highest in the league. 14 conceded, best in the league. What you talking about?

      1. FantasyTony
        • 8 Years
        7 hours, 30 mins ago

        Who’s watching Arsenal matches other than Arsenal fans?

        I plan my errands around them.

      2. Atimis
        • 9 Years
        7 hours, 29 mins ago

        Tough to watch it at times

    2. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 31 mins ago

      Any other team that deserves to win it more than Arsenal this season?

      1. Atimis
        • 9 Years
        7 hours, 30 mins ago

        Nope, that's tragic

        1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
          • 9 Years
          7 hours, 28 mins ago

          Not a disgrace considering how this season is panning out in that case then.

          1. Atimis
            • 9 Years
            7 hours, 24 mins ago

            So much money in this league etc., sounds wasteful then

            1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
              • 9 Years
              7 hours, 18 mins ago

              The league is marketed well enough for the money to be afforded. Money spent vs quality, this league wont even be in the top 5.

    3. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 20 mins ago

      No doubt Arsenal is best and deserved to win this year…unfortunately, if other teams adept to this style of football, EPL will turn into Serie A from 90’s. Sad to watch. But result is what counts ultimately.

  5. Paul W.
    • 4 Years
    7 hours, 35 mins ago

    Foden to:

    1) B. Fernandes
    2) Palmer

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 34 mins ago

      bruno got 14 dcs at CAM, bruno

    2. Il Capitano
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 31 mins ago

      1

    3. Paul W.
      • 4 Years
      6 hours, 39 mins ago

      Thanks

  6. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    7 hours, 35 mins ago

    How are Szoboszlai owners feeling?

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 33 mins ago

      Probably like how the captives feel when they're being taken to your dungeon.

    2. People in Preston
      • 15 Years
      7 hours, 33 mins ago

      Penless.

    3. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      7 hours, 31 mins ago

      Liberated.

      Bought Bruno an hour ago for him.

  7. adstomko
    • 9 Years
    7 hours, 32 mins ago

    Sanchez & Chalobah owners have been predominantly lucky this season.
    Brentford should’ve scored at least 3 today.
    I’d avoid buying any of them, even with their fixtures

    1. yousunkmybattleship
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 27 mins ago

      Rather be lucky than good!

  8. JBG
    • 7 Years
    7 hours, 31 mins ago

    Think this is the 2nd time owning Ekitike has failed me... gladly getting rid, despite just bringing him in

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 26 mins ago

      Who you bringing in?

  9. F4L
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 31 mins ago

    ffs, rice should not be blanking damn

    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 28 mins ago

      I bought him and Thiago this week, also benched Dorgu, and Gudmundsson also….figures

  10. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    7 hours, 30 mins ago

    Merino ruins the Rice/Gabriel combo 😡

    1. g40steve
      • 7 Years
      7 hours, 28 mins ago

      Yes big Gabs was flying in

  11. Amartey Partey
    • 6 Years
    7 hours, 30 mins ago

    Sorry guys, I brought in Rice and Gabriel and jinxed them both.

    1. Bluetiger1
      • 3 Years
      6 hours, 24 mins ago

      No probs

      Sell them next week & Status Quo resumed (lol)

  12. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 30 mins ago

    Arsenal is pain.

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      7 hours, 28 mins ago

      Depends what you do with it..

  13. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    7 hours, 29 mins ago

    Anchor chants 🙂

  14. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 28 mins ago

    Pick one to dump along with Szob and one to buy along with Bruno F?

    A - Foden
    B - Cunha

    1 - Tavernier
    2 - Wilson
    3 - Enzo

    1. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 27 mins ago

      ** Can only afford Enzo if I dump Foden

    2. Snoop Udogie Dogg
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 26 mins ago

      A2

  15. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    7 hours, 27 mins ago

    Harry Kaaaaaaaaane!!!

    1. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 19 mins ago

      Sad

  16. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    7 hours, 25 mins ago

    Best defender for 5.2 or less?

    1. adstomko
      • 9 Years
      7 hours, 23 mins ago

      Collins, if you can rotate him

      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        7 hours, 22 mins ago

        Thanks

  17. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    7 hours, 25 mins ago

    No Gooners looking like getting DC points

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 24 mins ago

      disappointed with rice this second half, watching it thought he'd got 4-5 dcs so far this half but evidently not

  18. F4L
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 22 mins ago

    give us saka pen

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 22 mins ago

      that has to be a pen

      1. adstomko
        • 9 Years
        7 hours, 21 mins ago

        Computer says no

    2. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 21 mins ago

      Damn 🙁

    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 21 mins ago

      "natural movement" say what? he hits the ball out the way with his arm

  19. Snoop Udogie Dogg
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 22 mins ago

    ah not Saka, come on Gyok!

    1. Tomerick
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 21 mins ago

      He’ll struggle to take it from the showers

  20. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 21 mins ago

    Robbed of Saka jam

  21. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    7 hours, 21 mins ago

    Andersen leg hit Ainas arm clear to see

  22. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    7 hours, 21 mins ago

    Where Anderson DC points ffs!

  23. Tomerick
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 19 mins ago

    I mean anything a human is capable of doing with their arm without breaking it is a natural movement…

  24. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 19 mins ago

    If Arsenal do win the league, they will be the shittest team to ever do so.

    1. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 hours, 17 mins ago

      Tells lots about the other teams…innit ?

  25. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    7 hours, 18 mins ago

    Timber trying to get sent off

  26. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 hours, 18 mins ago

    Sold Sels for Roefs this GW
    On about 12 points with Dorgu sitting next on bench
    This GW!

  27. wiseguy
    • 4 Years
    7 hours, 17 mins ago

    As a double Arse def owner, I'd like nothing more than a late CHO screamer to win this 1-0.

  28. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 17 mins ago

    Arsenal need a matchwinner. We can't rely on Gabriel all of the time.

  29. Snoop Udogie Dogg
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 16 mins ago

    At the risk of jinxing it I'm currently sitting on 4 clean sheets (1 mid)

  30. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    7 hours, 15 mins ago

    Anderson defcon pts secured 🙂