The Bottom Line

Men: Arteta has backed Kai Havertz to push towards 25 or 30 goals this season, having scored three so far. William Saliba has another scan next week with a November return reported, and Arteta said Ezri Konsa has been excellent in his absence. ESPN reports interest in Brentford's Kevin Schade.

Women: Arsenal were booed off after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham left them winless in five WSL games, a club first. Olivia Smith equalised from outside the area, and Slegers said a change needs to happen if she can no longer help the team.

Academy: The Under-18s came from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1, Mylo Bernard scoring twice including a stoppage-time winner, with a 16-year-old winger in goal after both keepers went off.

Men

Arteta backs Havertz to reach 25 or 30 goals

Havertz has scored three times this season and has reached 20 goals in a campaign only once, at Bayer Leverkusen in 2018/19. Arteta said he has the ability to get towards 25 or 30 if he stays fit and gets the volume of games.

Arteta says Konsa has been excellent covering for Saliba

Arteta said Arsenal needed a senior defender who could adapt immediately because Saliba's was a second injury in a similar area, and that Konsa has done excellently without a pre-season. He called the prospect of both being fit a great problem to have.

Saliba has another scan next week with a November return reported

Arteta said Saliba will have another MRI next week to see how the back injury he aggravated at the World Cup is progressing. The Evening Standard and football.london both report he is expected back in November.

Also covered by football.london.

Brentford would want more than £60m for Kevin Schade in January

ESPN, citing TEAMtalk, reports that Arsenal and Liverpool are both interested in the 24 year old winger, and that Brentford feel no pressure to sell and have opened talks over a new contract.

Women

Arsenal Women draw 1-1 with Birmingham and go five WSL games without a win

Oceane Hurtre put Birmingham ahead after the break and Olivia Smith levelled on 66 minutes with a curling strike from outside the area. Arsenal were booed off, sit eighth on six points from six and are winless in five WSL games, a club first.

Also covered by The Guardian and The Independent.

Slegers says a change needs to happen if she can no longer help Arsenal

Asked about her future after the draw, Slegers said she still believes she can take the team forward, and that if that is no longer the case then a change needs to happen.

Also covered by The Independent.

Injury update: Maanum out two or three weeks, Little missed the draw unwell

Slegers said Frida Maanum picked up a quad injury on international duty and is hoped back in two or three weeks, while Kim Little was unwell and should return in a couple of days.

Academy

Under-18s beat Tottenham 2-1 with a left winger in goal

Mylo Bernard equalised straight after Tottenham's opener and smashed in a stoppage-time winner off the bar, with 16 year old Emerson Nwaneri in goal after both goalkeepers went off injured. Arsenal are fourth and inflicted Tottenham's first defeat of the season.

Also covered by Arsenal.com (Adam Smith interview).

Social

• u/AnyBad7112 on Reddit: Arteta's message to any Arsenal player lacking rhythm: they need to train more, and he is not interested in excuses.
• u/AnyBad7112 on Reddit: Isaan Khan's report on plans to revamp London Colney, including a possible new men's hub and a mini stadium for Under-21 and Under-19 games.
• u/tammrak on Reddit: Jack Wilshere plays Truth or Padel with David Ornstein.
• now.arsenal on Bluesky: Training pictures of Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Ben White before the trip to Nottingham Forest.
• The Women's Game on Bluesky: Video of Olivia Smith's equaliser curling in from outside the area at the Emirates.
• Tim Stillman on Bluesky: The Arsenal Women writer shares his piece from the Emirates on rare signs of frustration from the manager towards the team after the draw.

Podcasts

• Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, Instant Reaction: Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham City (9 min). Roberto Revilla's reaction from the Emirates at half time and full time, including the impact Oceane Hurtre had for Birmingham.
• Latte Firm - Arsenal FC x, Inside Forest - The Arsenal Match Preview (20 min). Nottingham Forest fan Jamie Martin on their start under Oliver Glasner, their fifth coach in less than a year, their transfer window and team news.
• Inside Arsenal - with Charles Watts, Arteta issues challenge + Team news latest & Konsa praise (19 min). Charles Watts on what Arteta said about players who might be lacking rhythm, and the latest team news from both sides before Forest.
• The Big Arsenal Breakfast Show, WHERE'S WILLO? Arteta quashes conspiracy theory! + Forest v Arsenal Preview (50 min). Arteta shutting down the rumours about Saliba's absence from the squad photo, plus a preview of Sunday at the City Ground.
• Arsenal Asia Talk, Arsenal Asia Talk 26/27 Ep 14 - We are top of the league (1h 5m). Oscar Sum and Liam Redican on the week since the international break and where Arsenal sit in the table.

On This Day

2025. Leandro Trossard scored the only goal on 58 minutes to win 1-0 at Craven Cottage, three points on the way to last season's title. Via Wikipedia

2020. Vivianne Miedema hit a hat-trick inside 41 minutes as Arsenal Women thrashed Tottenham 6-1 in the WSL, with Katie McCabe scoring after four minutes and Caitlin Foord adding two. Via The Arsenal Women Archive

2005. Thierry Henry scored both goals in a 2-0 Champions League win at Sparta Prague, the second taking him past Ian Wright's 185 to become Arsenal's all-time leading scorer. Via Wikipedia

1969. The Argentine defender Nelson Vivas was born, and spent three seasons at Arsenal from 1998 to 2001 covering at both full-back positions.