Arsenal restored momentum and composure with a 3-0 home victory over Nottingham Forest, spoiling Ange Postecoglou’s debut as Forest boss.

A first-half strike from Zubimendi gave Arsenal breathing room before the interval, intricate passing sequences and sustained possession repeatedly opened spaces in Forest’s rearguard. Viktor Gyökeres swiftly added to the lead after the halftime whistle, with Eberechi Eze supplying the assist for the second following a quick sprint and an accurate first-time cross.

Zubimendi completed his brace late on with an impressive header. The 26-year-old had scored just twice in 48 appearances for Real Sociedad last season and has already matched that tally this term. Not renowned for his aerial prowess, he leapt well to guide home the third as Forest struggled to fashion counter-attacking opportunities.

The win offered a clear response after Arsenal’s cautious display and defeat to Liverpool before the September international break. That loss left the Gunners three points adrift of their title rivals, and slipping up at home to Forest was never an option.

Wide players who have arrived in the summer took on greater responsibility in the absence of Bukayo Saka. Noni Madueke repeatedly tested Morato, the Brazilian central defender selected at left back, cutting inside on his preferred left foot and using the touchline effectively. Eze, deployed in a wider role than at Crystal Palace, was a constant livewire, showing confidence on his first start for his new club and executing the decisive delivery for Gyökeres’ goal.

Injuries continue to be a theme for Arsenal. The squad began the match without Saka, William Saliba, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Christian Nørgaard. Martin Ødegaard added his name to the list after 18 minutes when a hefty fall jarred his shoulder; he was eventually replaced by his deputy Ethan Nwaneri. Ødegaard had suffered a similar injury against Leeds United in his second outing of the season.

Saturday’s attacking performance will reassure Mikel Arteta, but the club’s packed treatment room remains a concern as the campaign progresses.

Arsenal returned to Premier League action with a 3–0 victory while Ange Postecoglou made his debut in the Nottingham Forest dugout.

The match began with a concern for the visitors when Martin Ødegaard appeared to suffer a recurrence of the shoulder problem that forced his withdrawal against Leeds United earlier in the season. Mikel Arteta replaced his captain with Ethan Nwaneri in the 18th minute.

Despite the disruption, Arsenal grew into the game and took the lead on the half hour. Martín Zubimendi opened his account for the club with a spectacular volley from the edge of the area that gave the Gunners the advantage.

Less than a minute into the second half Arsenal doubled their lead as two summer signings combined. A lofted pass in behind the Forest defence found Eberechi Eze, who delivered a precise cutback for Viktor Gyökeres to tap in.

Nottingham Forest had a moment soon after when Chris Wood redirected Dan Ndoye’s delivery onto the crossbar via the fingertips of David Raya. Arsenal threatened at the other end too, with Gyökeres striking the post.

Zubimendi, riding the momentum of his first strike, completed his brace by heading home Leandro Trossard’s cross to seal an emphatic win for Arsenal.

Standout ratings from the match reflected the performance: Martín Zubimendi 8.8, Viktor Gyökeres 8.2, Noni Madueke 8.1 and Cristhian Mosquera 7.9. Other notable contributions included Eberechi Eze 7.8, Gabriel 7.5 and Mikel Merino 7.4. Goalkeeper David Raya was rated 6.2.

Substitutions included Ethan Nwaneri (18’ for Ødegaard), Myles Lewis-Skelly (68’ for Calafiori), Declan Rice (68’ for Gyökeres), Gabriel Martinelli (79’ for Madueke) and Leandro Trossard (79’ for Eze). Subs not used were Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, Piero Hincapié and Max Dowman.

Nottingham Forest lined up in a 4-2-3-1: Matz Sels; Neco Williams, Nikola Milenković, Murillo, Morato; Ibrahim Sangaré, Elliot Anderson; Dan Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Chris Wood.

Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest was disrupted barely 18 minutes in when Mikel Arteta made the early change that signalled fresh selection headaches. Martin Ødegaard required extensive treatment from Arsenal’s physio and, after attempting to continue, was withdrawn and replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.

Ødegaard’s departure compounds concerns around the team. The captain’s recent performance levels have been questioned in recent weeks and months, and his exit added to an already stretched squad. Arteta was already without Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, three attacking players who would ordinarily expect significant minutes as starters.

Defensive availability also remained an issue. William Saliba missed the trip to Forest after sustaining an ankle injury prior to the 1–0 defeat to Liverpool before the international break. Saliba attempted to play at Anfield but was forced off after just five minutes. Arteta confirmed on Friday that Saliba was back in training, but he was not named in Arsenal’s squad when teamsheets were announced.

To cover absences, Arteta handed Eberechi Eze a first Arsenal start while Noni Madueke was selected on the opposite flank. Cristhian Mosquera was the player called upon to fill in for Saliba at the back. Those changes reflected the manager’s need to adapt his XI under constrained circumstances.

Arsenal’s mood improved shortly after the half-hour mark when Martín Zubimendi opened his goalscoring account for the club. After Madueke’s corner was partially cleared, Zubimendi produced a volley from outside the penalty area that flew into Matz Sels’ top corner. The goal provided a notable moment in a match influenced heavily by absences and early substitutions.