MATCH PREVIEW
Nottingham Forest V Arsenal
FA Cup 3rd Round
The City Ground
Sunday 5:10pm
At this stage, it is currently unclear which Forest players have tested positive for COVID-19 and if they will be ready to return at the weekend, but the fixture is set to go ahead as scheduled regardless.
The hosts have one Africa Cup of Nations representative in the form of Tunisia's Mohamed Drager, while Jordi Osei-Tutu has returned to parent club Arsenal following the termination of his loan spell.
Alex Mighten, Max Lowe, Loic Mbe Soh, Joe Lolley and Richie Laryea make up a quintet of injury concerns for the hosts, who may elect to introduce new signings Keinan Davis and Steve Cook into the first XI.
As for Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe, Mohamed Elneny, Thomas Partey and exiled former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are all away on AFCON duty, but the latter has now tested positive for coronavirus again.
Sead Kolasinac has been pictured back in training as he steps up his recovery from an ankle injury, but Gabriel will serve his suspension here, and the duo of Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah are both doubts due to COVID-19.
Changes will certainly be in the offing for Arteta, who has a big call to make over whether to start Charlie Patino after the 18-year-old marked his debut with a goal against Sunderland last month.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Spence, Cook, Worrall, Bong; Garner, Cafu; Zinckernagel, Carvalho, Johnson; Davis
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Leno; Cedric, White, Holding, Tavares; Xhaka, Lokonga; Saka, Patino, Smith Rowe; Martinelli
Match Facts
We have beaten Notts Forest twice at this stage and went on to win the competition 1979 & 1993
We have lost only once at this stage in 25 years and that was to Nottingham Forest 4-2 in 2018
Arsenal hold the record as the most decorated FA Cup winners winning the Cup 14 times in its
150 years (123 competitions)
The game must reach a conclusion on Sunday with extra time and penalty shootout if needs be. We have only had 1 penalty shoot out at this level in the competition before and that was in 1998 against Port Vale (we won)
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