Arsenal
Captain Withdrawn Early as Arsenal Face Mounting Absence Problems
Ødegaard taken off after 18 minutes, adding to Arsenal injury concerns; Zubimendi scored a volley. .
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 Martin Ødegaard required extensive treatment from Arsenal’s physio and, after attempting to continue, was withdrawn and replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.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.
Arsenal
Arsenal respond with composed 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest
Zubimendi’s brace and Gyokeres’ strike underline Arsenal’s depth amid mounting injury concerns. this
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
Zubimendi brace inspires 3–0 Arsenal victory as Ødegaard miss unsettles start
Zubimendi’s volley and header sealed Arsenal’s 3-0 win as Postecoglou began at Nottingham Forest. vs
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
Arteta cautious but upbeat on Havertz recovery as Saka misses Forest
Arteta: Havertz progressing after knee surgery, no return date; Saka ruled out for Forest. Saliba OK.
Mikel Arteta offered a measured update on Kai Havertz’s rehabilitation from knee surgery on Friday, praising the player’s progress while withholding any specific return timetable. Arteta described the 26-year-old’s work in training and the steps being taken on the injured knee.
“Yeah, he’s looking really good. I mean, he’s working freely. He’s starting to load that knee, and start to do some bits.
“Obviously, as I said before, I think it will take him from weeks to months. But knowing Kai, I cannot give you any timescale, because I know what he’s going to try to do, same with Gabi Jesus. So I think he’s in a good moment.
“It was a very tough decision for him to go and have that procedure done. But I think it was necessary, and it was the right decision from the medical team to persuade him to do that.”
Arteta noted that, had the injury occurred last season, the squad would have faced greater difficulty while Gabriel Jesus remained sidelined and Bukayo Saka was also receiving treatment. The recent arrival of Viktor Gyökeres has eased some of the responsibility on Havertz, who finished last season as the club’s top goalscorer in the Premier League and in all competitions.
On team selection for Saturday’s match, Arteta confirmed Bukayo Saka will be absent for Nottingham Forest’s trip to the Emirates Stadium but expressed optimism over William Saliba’s condition following an early exit in the 1–0 defeat at Liverpool before the international break. Saliba limped off just five minutes into that game, and Arteta suggested he could return straight into the defence.
Saka’s role on the right is expected to be filled by Noni Madueke. Madueke, the £52 million summer signing, scored for England in midweek as he continued a strong start to the season. On Madueke, Arteta said: “Well, I can talk about what I’ve seen and what I’ve experienced and I think the welcoming that our supporters gave to Noni from day one was incredible.
“So, I don’t know other ways that people communicated the disagreement with that, but our supporters they’ve been exceptional and rightly so because he’s an unbelievable player.”
