Mikel Arteta offered a measured update on Kai Havertz’s rehabilitation from knee surgery on Friday, praising the player’s progress while withholding any specific return timetable. Arteta described the 26-year-old’s work in training and the steps being taken on the injured knee.

“Yeah, he’s looking really good. I mean, he’s working freely. He’s starting to load that knee, and start to do some bits.

“Obviously, as I said before, I think it will take him from weeks to months. But knowing Kai, I cannot give you any timescale, because I know what he’s going to try to do, same with Gabi Jesus. So I think he’s in a good moment.

“It was a very tough decision for him to go and have that procedure done. But I think it was necessary, and it was the right decision from the medical team to persuade him to do that.”

Arteta noted that, had the injury occurred last season, the squad would have faced greater difficulty while Gabriel Jesus remained sidelined and Bukayo Saka was also receiving treatment. The recent arrival of Viktor Gyökeres has eased some of the responsibility on Havertz, who finished last season as the club’s top goalscorer in the Premier League and in all competitions.

On team selection for Saturday’s match, Arteta confirmed Bukayo Saka will be absent for Nottingham Forest’s trip to the Emirates Stadium but expressed optimism over William Saliba’s condition following an early exit in the 1–0 defeat at Liverpool before the international break. Saliba limped off just five minutes into that game, and Arteta suggested he could return straight into the defence.

Saka’s role on the right is expected to be filled by Noni Madueke. Madueke, the £52 million summer signing, scored for England in midweek as he continued a strong start to the season. On Madueke, Arteta said: “Well, I can talk about what I’ve seen and what I’ve experienced and I think the welcoming that our supporters gave to Noni from day one was incredible.

“So, I don’t know other ways that people communicated the disagreement with that, but our supporters they’ve been exceptional and rightly so because he’s an unbelievable player.”

The Premier League resumes after the September international break with Arsenal hosting Nottingham Forest at the Emirates in Gameweek 4. Forest arrive under new management after a breakdown in relations between Nuno and the club’s hierarchy that cost the Portuguese his job. Evangelos Marinakis has been linked with Ange Postecoglou since he was ruthlessly sacked by Tottenham Hotspur, and Postecoglou is still chasing his first victory over Mikel Arteta.

Recent form is mixed. Arsenal were narrowly beaten by Liverpool before the break and will be keen to return to winning ways after an earlier run that included a 5–0 win over Leeds and a 3–0 victory over Athletic Club in pre-season. Nottingham Forest’s results since the start of August include a 3–1 win at Brentford and a 0–3 defeat to West Ham. Recent scorelines: Liverpool 1–0 Arsenal (31/08/25); Nottingham Forest 0–3 West Ham (31/08/25); Arsenal 5–0 Leeds (23/08/25); Crystal Palace 1–1 Nottingham Forest (24/08/25); Man Utd 0–1 Arsenal (17/08/25); Nottingham Forest 3–1 Brentford (17/08/25); Arsenal 3–0 Athletic Club (09/08/25); Nottingham Forest 0–0 Al Qadsiah (09/08/25); Arsenal 2–3 Villarreal (06/08/25); Nottingham Forest 0–0 Fiorentina (05/08/25).

Arsenal have seen Christian Nørgaard and Ben White return to training but neither is expected to start. Piero Hincapié, a Deadline Day signing, has been in action and could make his debut off the bench. The Gunners remain without Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, while William Saliba is set to miss the game with an ankle injury. Cristhian Mosquera is expected to fill in alongside Gabriel and there could be a first Arsenal start for Eberechi Eze on the left, with Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyökeres either side.

Forest face their own absences. Right-back Ola Aina will undergo hamstring surgery after his issue on international duty, which opens the door for summer arrival Nicolò Savano to get minutes. Nicolás Dominguez, added to Forest’s Europa League squad by Nuno before his departure, is not expected back until later in the autumn. Oleksandr Zinchenko is ineligible to face his parent club.

Predicted lineups
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Madueke, Gyökeres, Eze.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Luiz; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.

Postecoglou has indicated continuity in approach but a pragmatic plan could suit Forest against an Arsenal side desperate to assert themselves at home. Given the transition at Forest, it would not be a surprise if the Gunners claimed the three points with some comfort.

Arsenal received a boost on Friday when manager Mikel Arteta confirmed William Saliba is back in training ahead of the match against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium. A previous report had suggested the 24-year-old could be sidelined for up to a month, but Arteta moved to clarify the situation after Friday’s session.

“Wilo trained today, so we’ll have a decision to make whether we play him or not, it’s very good news,” Arteta confirmed. The manager also confirmed Piero Hincapié is available after only two days’ work with the squad, giving Arteta additional defensive options as he assesses his starting line-up.

Forest travel to the Emirates with Ange Postecoglou installed as manager following Nuno Espírito Santo’s sudden dismissal. The Australian has signed an 18-month contract at the City Ground. The club will balance that transition with a notable absence of their own. Starting right back Ola Aina is expected to miss up to three months after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty.

Arsenal appear to have avoided any fresh issues stemming from the recent two-week break, though they will continue without Bukayo Saka for the immediate future. On his winger, Arteta said: “Let’s see, he’s evolving really well, with very specific work at the moment,” Arteta said of his star winger. “The moment that we increase that load, let’s see how he reacts.”

Additional squad news offered further cautious optimism for Arsenal. Ben White has returned to training, while Kai Havertz is progressing towards a return to action after undergoing knee surgery. With Saliba training and other defensive options available, Arteta faces a selection call that will influence how the home side lines up against a Forest side under new management.