Premier League leaders Arsenal got very little going on Saturday at the City Ground, slumping to a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest that took minimal advantage of a wild day near the top of the table.
MORE — Mikel Arteta perplexed by ungiven penalty
A win — a goal, really — would’ve boosted Arsenal nine points clear of the field thanks to Man City’s loss at Manchester United and Aston Villa’s Sunday fixture date.
Neither came for Arsenal, as Forest boss Sean Dyche led the Tricky Trees to a surprise point.
WATCH — Nottingham Forest v Arsenal full match replay
Arsenal’s table lead is up to seven points, though Villa can trim it to four on Sunday.
Forest get a 22nd point for their season haul, three points behind 16th-place Leeds and five clear of 18th-place West Ham.
Arsenal fail to cash in chips: Are they in their own heads?
Gabriel Martinelli missed wide of an empty goal, one of his four shot attempts that failed to find the target. Viktor Gyokeres saw his partial breakaway shot partially blocked by Forest and went 0-for-5 on aerial duels. Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Jesus — all second half subs and effective ones — joined Martinelli in missing the game’s four “big chances” (according to fotmob.com). With all due respect to Sean Dyche and his surprisingly impressive record versus Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal — six clean sheets and just four losses from 11 meetings — this should’ve been Arsenal leaving West Bridgford with a nine-point table lead before Villa kick off Sunday.
So why didn’t it happen? Matz Sels’ phenomenal save on Saka’s cushioned header was one thing, but the Gunners again fired blanks after watching Manchester City drop points. City had lost at Man United earlier Saturday, so Arsenal did gain a point on those rivals, but they drew Liverpool in Week 21 a day after City drew Brighton. It’s an extremely small sample size — few come smaller considering how seldom either side have dropped points over the years — but is this another lesson that’s waiting to be learned for title-challenged Arsenal? The Gunners 2.27 points per game is respectable. It would’ve won the title last season (Liverpool) and in 2020-21 (Man City). But with second-place on a 2.04 ppg run, it feels a bit like Arsenal could be running away with this thing. This is only the second time they’ve dropped points to a non-traditional power (Sunderland, Nov. 8), and they’ve only lost to Liverpool and Villa. But we’re measuring by a different ruler because the Gunners haven’t done it under Mikel Arteta. Maybe it’s out of an abundance of caution. It feels right, for now.
What’s next?
Arsenal head to Inter Milan for a big Champions League clash at 3pm ET Tuesday, then host Manchester United at 11:30am Sunday, January 25.
Forest are also back to Europe with a UEL match at Braga on Thursday. They’ll then visit Brenford at 9am ET Sunday, January 25.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal final score: 0-0
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal live updates — by Nick Mendola
Dyche has impressive history versus Arsenal
Despite managing clear underdogs Burnley, Everton, and now Nottingham Forest, this is Sean Dyche’s record versyus Mikel Arteta:
- 10 matches
- Two wins
- Four draws
- Five clean sheets
Nearing a fifth and a sixth on those last two bulletpoints.
0-0, 84′.
Eze replaces Zubimendi
A rare Eberechi Eze sighting as Arteta chases three points in the 79th minute.
Arsenal want a penalty
VAR takes a look at a possible handball on Ola Aina that would’ve been the highest form of cruelty.
Mercifully, it does not award a penalty to the Gunners.
Sels makes a fantastic save
Rice spins a chipped cross toward the back post and Bukayo Saka aims a looping header from where it came.
Sels is at full extension as reaches back to just get fingertips to the ball and slap it wide of the fame.
Saka pays immediate dividends
Saka takes the ball off a sleepy Neco Williams and drives the end line.
He crosses toward the top of the box and Declan Rice’s half-volley bounds toward the line.
It’s not full power, and Forest keeper Matz Sels is able to keep the game scoreless.
Arteta flips three switches
With Champions League ahead and a League Cup semifinal first leg behind, there was always going to be managed minutes.
Off go Odegaard, Madueke, and Gyokeres for Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka in the 57th minute.
One sub at the break
Trossard replaces Martinelli, who does not have a Premier League goal or assist since Sept. 21 versus Man City.
He’s scored a fair few in other competitions including a recent hat trick against Pompey in the FA Cup, but the stats are the stats.
Halftime — Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
A missed chance from an acute angle for Gabriel Martinelli and a deflected shot on a partial breakaway from Viktor Gyokeres do not qualify as a great work from the Gunners.
Arsenal did grow possession to 60% by halftime and are holding the shot attempts lead at 8-3.
There are game-changers like crazy on the bench in Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Kai Havertz. Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Cristhian Mosquera are also options in steadier spots.
Mikel Arteta might be furious
Don’t know what to say about this half from Arsenal, who seem caught a bit off guard by a Sean Dyche team looking hungry at home.
Murillo giveth and taketh away
A poor play by Murillo gives Viktor Gyokeres a partial breakaway.
The Swede does good physical work to ensure a shot attempt, but Murillo saves himself blushes by deflecting Gyokeres’ shot with a desperation slide/lunge.
Jurrien Timber yellow card
The left back is cautioned for a foul just outside the area.
Forest doing just fine, thanks
The Tricky Trees have been hanging around 47% possession after a positive spell, and they have the only shot attempt in the game so far.
0-0, 13′.
Good afternoon. An especially good afternoon to Arsenal?
The Gunners have already seen Liverpool draw and Manchester City lose, and can go nine points clear of City and Aston Villa before the Villans play Everton on Sunday.
As for Forest, their task today was going to be difficult either way but it won’t feel any easier given West Ham’s win over Spurs to close within four points of the Tricky Trees’ 17th place spot.
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Dominguez, Anderson, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus
Arsenal lineup
Raya, White, Saliba, Magalhaes, Timber, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal preview — by Joe Prince-Wright
Despite an upturn in results when he arrived Sean Dyche’s Forest have only won one of their last five in the Premier League (that was a big win at fellow relegation candidates West Ham last time out) and they are still in the relegation scrap. They also lost to second-tier Wrexham in the FA Cup third round and despite some positive results in the UEFA Europa League, Dyche could really do with a positive display and result against Arsenal.
But that doesn’t look likely because the Gunners are clicking through the gears. Yes, they drew 0-0 at home against Liverpool last time out in the Premier League. But they are six points clear atop the table and in midweek they won 3-2 at Chelsea in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal. Mikel Arteta is rotating his squad expertly and Arsenal fans everywhere are saying something quietly: “we are still on for the quadruple…”
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
Chris Wood is still missing through injury and that has been a big blow for Forest this season. Morgan Gibbs-White, Omari Hutchinson and Callum Hudson-Odoi have looked really dangerous as an attacking midfield trio in recent weeks, while Igor Jesus is putting himself about up top but looks like he could use a break. Ryan Yates is close to a return but goalkeeper John Victor is out for a few more weeks with a knee injury so Matz Sels will remain in goal. Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are both back from AFCON and should be available, with the latter having a huge role to play in the final months of the season.
Arsenal team news, focus
Cristhian Mosquera, Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori all remain out but Arsenal’s squad is stacked and there are so many options. Will Viktor Gyokeres keep his place up top? Or will Gabriel Jesus start? Kai Havertz is also pushing for minutes and there is serious competition all over the pitch as Arteta has shuffled his pack extremely well over the busy festive period.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal prediction
This feels like Arsenal will be able to create chances galore against Forest but they have to start the game well. They will. Nottingham Forest 1-3 Arsenal.
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12:30pm ET Saturday (January 17)
Venue: City Ground — Nottingham
TV Channel: NBC
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com and Stream live on Peacock
