Nottingham Forest face Arsenal in a key Premier League clash at the City Ground this afternoon

Morgan Gibbs-White was “very close” to being available for Nottingham Forest’s clash with Arsenal, according to head coach Oliver Glasner.

The playmaker is not involved for the Reds against the title holders in today’s City Ground match (4.30pm kick-off). Glasner had said in his pre-match press conference on Friday that Gibbs-White was a doubt due to a muscle injury.

Speaking ahead of kick-off on the banks of the Trent, Glasner suggested his No.10 could return for next Friday’s trip to face Ipswich Town. He told Sky Sports: “Very close (to playing). It was then a rational decision.

"If this had been the last game of the season, Morgan would have played today. But with the next game on Friday, we're not playing him. We win three days where he can prepare in a better way.

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“It's of course tough when you're a captain and a player like Morgan can't play. But then it's the opportunity, like always, for other players to step up.

“Against Arsenal, you just have a chance when you play as a team, defend very well and take the few opportunities you get, because they don't give you many chances. No team has many chances against them, so being clinical and ruthless, we have a chance to win again.”

Forest went into the game looking to bounce back from successive Premier League defeats. A glut of missed chances proved costly in the capital last weekend as they were toppled 3-1 by Crystal Palace while their last home game ended in a 1-0 loss to Coventry City prior to the international break.

Glasner has made two changes to his starting XI from last Sunday’s trip to south London. Jair Cunha is in for Ola Aina as the right-sided centre-back and Nicolas Dominguez is in for Gibbs-White.

Jair will join Ousmane Diomande and Murillo in a back three ahead of goalkeeper Matz Sels. Daniel Munoz and captain Neco Williams will take up the wing-back roles.

Dominguez is likely to partner Xaver Schlager in midfield, although it could be he takes up one of the 10 roles and James McAtee stays in his usual spot. Dan Ndoye will be hoping to build on a positive display against Palace while front man Liam Delap

The substitutes' bench will be made up of John Victor, Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, Luca Netz, Nikola Milenkovic and Aina. Milenkovic has recovered from the bone bruising that kept him out against Palace to take his place in the squad.

Forest: Sels; Jair, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, Dominguez; McAtee, Ndoye; Delap. Subs: John, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Kalimuendo, Yates, Netz, Milenkovic, Aina.