Forest Prepare to Face Tottenham as Key Players Return
Nottingham Forest head into Saturday’s meeting with Tottenham with the mood and the medical room both tilted in their favour. Oliver Glasner gets key pieces back. Roberto De Zerbi does not.
Forest have Ibrahim Sangaré available again after a minor calf problem, restoring bite and balance to the heart of their midfield. He missed the 2-2 draw at Liverpool with the injury, picked up in training, but has been cleared to return.
Alongside him, a new face is finally ready. Daniel Muñoz, signed from Crystal Palace on August 31, is in line for his first Forest appearance. The Colombian has had nose surgery following the 2026 World Cup and will play in a protective mask if selected. His pre-season has been short, his fitness still building, but Glasner has confirmed he is available.
That relationship matters. Muñoz and Glasner have already shared a trophy-laden spell at Crystal Palace, lifting the 2025 FA Cup, the Community Shield and the UEFA Conference League. Muñoz’s cross set up the winning goal against Manchester City in that FA Cup final, a performance that earned him man-of-the-match honours. Forest fans would happily take even a fraction of that impact in red.
Not every update is positive for the hosts. Nicolo Savona remains out, still working his way back from the knee injury he suffered in January. The Italian wing-back has only just rejoined partial training and will not feature against Spurs. Glasner is aiming to have him back in full sessions around the international break.
De Zerbi’s Selection Headache Grows
Across the technical area, the picture is far more complicated.
Tottenham travel still without several of their most creative players. James Maddison has rejoined training after fracturing his shoulder but will not be risked at the City Ground. De Zerbi has ruled him out of the squad.
Dejan Kulusevski is also absent. The Swede has finally made it back into full team training after more than a year out with a serious kneecap injury, yet Tottenham are refusing to rush him. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons remain sidelined as they continue their own recoveries from knee problems.
The timing could hardly be worse. Spurs have opened the Premier League season with a 3-0 defeat to Brentford and a 2-0 loss to Newcastle. No goals scored. No points collected. For a club of Tottenham’s size, that is not just a slow start; it is a jolt.
History underlines the scale of the slump. Spurs have not begun a league campaign with two defeats and no goals since the 1974-75 season. They have only once in their history gone three league games at the start of a campaign without finding the net. Step onto the pitch at the City Ground without scoring again, and this group will be walking into unwanted territory.
A Glimmer for Spurs: Sávio Back, New Forwards Ready
There is at least one shaft of light for De Zerbi. Sávio has shaken off the muscle fatigue that kept him out of the Newcastle defeat and is fit to feature.
New attacking arrivals Omar Marmoush and Mathys Tel are also available, handing De Zerbi fresh options as he searches for someone, anyone, to break their Premier League duck. How quickly those forwards can click into gear will shape the tone of Tottenham’s autumn.
One notable name will not be involved at all. Richarlison has been left out of Tottenham’s registered Premier League squad and is training separately while the club works on his exit. Saudi Arabia and Turkey are among the possible destinations before their transfer windows close, underlining how decisively Spurs have drawn a line under his time in north London.
Forest Chasing History
All of this unfolds against a backdrop that should embolden Forest. They have beaten Tottenham in each of the last four Premier League meetings, including wins in December 2025 and March 2026. Spurs have become a fixture Forest relish, not fear.
Another victory on Saturday would not just deepen Tottenham’s crisis; it would set a new club record. Forest have never won five consecutive league games against Spurs.
With Sangaré back patrolling midfield, Muñoz ready to debut under a manager who trusts him, and a wounded giant arriving with its main creators stuck in the stands, the stage is set.
Do Forest twist the knife and write a new chapter of dominance, or does a desperate Tottenham side finally remember how to score when it matters most?
