Arsenal got a much-needed three points against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium to keep up with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners had previously gone three games without a win in all competitions, including a 1-1 draw away to Chelsea last time out.
It was a dominant performance from the Gunners, who put the men in Garibaldi Red to the sword in North London. Bukayo Saka gave his side the lead, thrashing in a shot following a mazy run after he picked up a loose ball.
Thomas Partey doubled the Gunners’ lead just seven minutes after half-time, before youngster Ethan Nwaneri scored his first-ever Premier League goal to seal the points. It was a lovely finish from the youngster, who drove forward into space and found Raheem Sterling out wide. The experienced winger pulled it back to Nwaneri who slotted the ball past Matz Sels.
It is a huge three points for Mikel Arteta’s men, who will now be hoping to get some momentum ahead of a huge month over the festive period. There were certainly some standout performers from those in an Arsenal shirt this afternoon.
Arsenal’s best performers vs. Forest
Unsurprisingly, Saka was one of the main man against Forest, putting in a superb performance to go along with his goal. The England international stood out from a statistical standpoint, too. As per Sofascore, the winger created four chances, completed two dribbles and had a pass accuracy of 88%.
Complimenting a phenomenal display from Saka was Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian, who created a whopping six chances, received a 9/10 for his performance from GOAL journalist Charles Watts. He summed up Odegaard’s performance in one word, “outstanding”.
It was a fantastic influence off the bench for Nwaneri. Although the youngster only made an eight-minute cameo, he certainly left his mark. He was always involved and had 16 touches of the ball and completed 100% of his passes, 11 from 11 to be specific. The teenager also created one chance, and, of course, got a memorable first Premier League goal.
However, it was not just the Gunners’ attacking players who stood out against Forest. Their defenders were superb, keeping a clean sheet and never really giving the visitors a sniff. One of the standout defensive players for Arsenal was William Saliba.
Saliba’s stats vs. Forest
Arsenal journalist Will Balsam was full of praise for the French defender, explaining that it was one of his “best performances” of the 2024/25 campaign so far. It has not been the smoothest start to the season for Saliba, but he looked much more like his old self against the East Midlands outfit.
The France international was, as usual, composed on the ball, a key component of the Gunners’ build-up play. He made life tough for Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who got the nod over the in-form Chris Wood. Saliba ensured the Nigerian international fed off scraps at the Emirates Stadium.
Indeed, his stats from the game were superb. He was flawless on the ball, having 105 touches and completing 98% of his passes, specifically 96 out of 98 he attempted. Saliba also won three from four ground duels.
Saliba stats vs. Forest | |
|---|---|
Stat | Number |
Touches | 105 |
Pass accuracy | 98% |
Passes completed | 96/98 |
Ground duels won | 3/4 |
Tackles won | 2/3 |
Clearances | 3 |
Stats from Sofascore | |
Watts was full of praise for the French defender following his impressive performance. He gave him a 7/10 rating for his efforts, explaining that ‘he seemed to really enjoy’ the battle against Awoniyi, describing his performance as ‘solid’.
It was an assured performance from Saliba, who will be hoping he can continue this run of form as Arsenal look to climb back up towards the top of the Premier League table.
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