Tottenham Hotspur go to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, September 5, 2026, needing their first points of the Premier League season and still looking for their first goal after two matches. The trip to The City Ground in Nottingham has quickly become an early test of whether Roberto De Zerbi’s side can turn pressure into a result.
That is why Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur is drawing attention now. Spurs have not beaten Nottingham Forest since the 23/24 season, and last season they were beaten by three goals in both meetings. For a team that has opened the campaign with zero goals, the matchup is carrying more weight than a routine early fixture.
There is at least some reason for Spurs to believe the attack can look different this time. Savio and Mohammed Kudus are expected to be available, which matters because the team’s problem has not been a lack of chances to reset the lineup but a lack of finishing that has left them empty-handed in the league table.
The fitness picture is not fully clean, though. Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have question marks over their availability, so the balance of the side is still not settled even with attacking reinforcements expected to be in the frame. That leaves Tottenham Hotspur with a simple but unforgiving assignment: bring enough control and enough threat to avoid another flat start.
The timing also makes the fixture easy to follow. Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur is listed for 10:00 p.m. ET, which is 3:00 p.m. UK, and NBCSN has the match. It is not televised in the UK, and streaming is listed as unavailable, so the broadcast picture is clearer for U.S. viewers than for fans at home.
For De Zerbi, the broader concern is obvious. Tottenham Hotspur were supposed to be further along than this by now, but a two-match league stretch with zero goals has already turned the visit to The City Ground into a check on the direction of the season. If Spurs cannot turn expected availability into points on Saturday, the questions around this start will only get louder.
