Noni Madueke came off the bench to settle a tight game at the City Ground, his deflected 80th-minute strike giving Arsenal a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday. It was the defending champions' only shot on target and their sixth victory from seven Premier League games.
The result keeps Arsenal second, three points behind leaders Manchester City. Forest, still without a home league goal this season, were 18th at full time.
Match facts
- Result: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: Premier League, Matchweek 7
- Venue: The City Ground, Nottingham (attendance 30,893)
- Scorers: Nottingham Forest - none; Arsenal - Madueke 80'
- Assists: Arsenal - Rice (80')
- Red cards: None
- Next: Bayern Munich v Arsenal (Champions League), Wednesday 21 October; Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest, Friday 23 October; Arsenal v Everton, Saturday 24 October
How the match unfolded
Arsenal had most of the ball from the start but struggled to find a way through Oliver Glasner's compact side, who were without the injured Morgan Gibbs-White. Neco Williams was booked in the 17th minute for a foul on Bukayo Saka, and around the 20-minute mark David Raya turned Dan Ndoye's low shot round the post after Riccardo Calafiori had given the ball away.
Kai Havertz headed a Declan Rice free-kick over in the 37th minute and found the side netting from Martin Ødegaard's pass four minutes later. At the other end, Liam Delap won a free-kick off Rice on the edge of the area in the 44th minute, but Williams drove it into Bruno Guimarães. Neither side managed a shot on target before the break.
Mikel Arteta replaced Eberechi Eze with Madueke at half-time. Forest improved after the restart, with Delap a constant handful for Gabriel and Ezri Konsa, and Madueke was booked in the 53rd minute. On 66 minutes Arteta made a triple change, sending on Jurriën Timber, Viktor Gyökeres and Mikel Merino for Ben White, Guimarães and Havertz. Gabriel headed a Rice corner over a minute later, and Rice then lifted Arsenal's best chance over the bar after Ødegaard released Timber, who cut the ball back. Glasner sent on Arnaud Kalimuendo and Ibrahim Sangaré in the 73rd and 74th minutes.
The breakthrough came in the 80th minute. Sangaré was slow to clear a loose ball, Rice found Madueke on the left, and the winger cut inside before shooting. The ball deflected off Jair Cunha and past the wrong-footed Matz Sels.
Forest pushed hard in the closing minutes. Substitute Chris Wood was found in the box by Callum Hudson-Odoi but Rice blocked his effort, and Murillo beat several defenders before curling narrowly off target in stoppage time. With the last action of the game, Konsa made a superb sliding challenge to stop Delap, who was through on goal.
Champions find a way, Forest frustration grows
Arsenal's only league defeat this season remains the 3-0 loss at Brighton. As in last weekend's 2-1 comeback win over Leeds, a substitute made the difference.
"We had to earn it until the last second. They are a well coached team and hard to break down," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day. "We stayed focussed and the finishers made a huge impact."
Forest have one league win this season, 2-1 at Aston Villa, and have not scored in four home league games. This defeat followed a 3-1 loss at Crystal Palace last weekend. "Very tough to take, bit of deja vu," Glasner told Match of the Day. "Feels a bit weird to have a third defeat in a row but I see progress in every game."
What's next
Arsenal travel to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday (20:00 UK), then host Everton on Saturday (15:00 UK). Forest visit Ipswich Town on Friday night (20:00 UK).
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