Nottingham Forest Aim for Historic Win Against Tottenham

Nottingham Forest head into Saturday’s clash with Tottenham with momentum, a clean bill of health in key areas – and the chance to write a new line of club history at the City Ground.

Oliver Glasner’s side have won the last four league meetings with Spurs. They have never made it five in a row. With the visitors goalless, pointless and patched up, the opportunity is glaring.

Glasner Gets His Midfield Enforcer Back

The mood in the Forest camp is lifted by the return of Ibrahim Sangaré. The midfielder missed the 2-2 draw at Liverpool after tweaking his calf in training, but that problem has cleared. He is ready, and his presence instantly stiffens Forest’s spine.

There is another fresh face available. Daniel Muñoz, signed from Crystal Palace on August 31, has been cleared to make his Forest debut. The Colombian right-back underwent nose surgery after the 2026 World Cup and will play in a protective mask if selected. Fitness is the only caveat: a shortened pre-season means he still has work to do to hit full sharpness.

What he does not lack is trust from the manager. Muñoz and Glasner know each other well from their time together at Crystal Palace, where they collected the 2025 FA Cup, the Community Shield and the UEFA Conference League. Muñoz assisted the winning goal against Manchester City in that FA Cup final and walked away with the man-of-the-match award. Glasner has already confirmed he is available for selection.

Not every update is positive. Nicolo Savona remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from the serious knee injury he suffered in January. The Italian wing-back has stepped up to partial training, but this game comes too soon. Glasner is targeting a full return to training around the upcoming international break.

De Zerbi’s Spurs Still Short of Firepower

On the other side, Roberto De Zerbi arrives in Nottingham juggling absences in exactly the areas he can least afford.

James Maddison is back on the grass after fracturing his shoulder, but not yet back in the team. De Zerbi has ruled him out of the trip to the City Ground, denying Spurs their primary creative force once again.

Dejan Kulusevski is also out, even though he has rejoined full team training. His long lay-off followed a serious kneecap injury that has kept him away for more than a year. Tottenham are refusing to rush his return and will hold him back a little longer.

Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons remain unavailable as they continue their own knee recoveries. Both are still some way from contributing.

The timing could hardly be worse. Tottenham have opened their Premier League campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Brentford and a 2-0 loss to Newcastle. No goals scored. No points on the board. For a club of Spurs’ stature, that is not just a poor start; it is an echo from another era.

They have not begun a league season with two defeats and no goals since 1974-75. They have only once in their history failed to score across their first three league fixtures. That record is now in play.

A Glimmer for Spurs: Sávio and New Blood

There is at least one bright spot on De Zerbi’s injury bulletin. Sávio is fit again after missing the Newcastle game with muscle fatigue and is available to bolster the attack.

He is not alone. New signings Omar Marmoush and Mathys Tel are both in contention, giving De Zerbi extra options as he searches for his first Premier League goal as Tottenham manager. The tactical jigsaw is complicated, but at least he has more pieces to work with in the final third.

One notable name will not be involved at all. Richarlison has been left out of Tottenham’s registered Premier League squad. The Brazilian forward is training away from the main group while the club works on his departure, with moves to Saudi Arabia or Turkey under discussion before those transfer windows close.

History on the Line at the City Ground

Forest’s recent dominance in this fixture is striking. They have beaten Tottenham in each of the last four Premier League meetings, including victories in December 2025 and March 2026. Another win on Saturday would make it five straight league triumphs over Spurs for the first time in the club’s history.

Glasner has Sangaré back patrolling midfield and Muñoz ready to step into a familiar system. De Zerbi, stripped of Maddison and Kulusevski, leans on Sávio, Marmoush and Tel to change the narrative of a season that has barely started but already feels tense.

One side is chasing a record. The other is trying to outrun its own history. Which story survives the evening at the City Ground?