Martín Zubimendi scored his first two goals for Arsenal, leading his side to a comfortable victory over Nottingham Forest and spoiling Ange Postecoglou’s first match in charge of the visitors.
The Spanish midfielder opened the scoring with a powerful volley in the first half before adding a second with a header after the break. The defeat continues a difficult record for Postecoglou against Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, with the former Tottenham boss now having failed to secure a win in five encounters against his rival.
Arsenal, playing without several key players including the injured Bukayo Saka, dominated the match. Winger Noni Madueke, starting in place of Saka, was a constant threat, causing problems for the Forest defence with his direct running and dangerous corners. It was from one of his inswinging deliveries that the Gunners took the lead, with Zubimendi capitalising on a clearance from Chris Wood to fire home with a slight deflection off Murillo.
Forest’s best opportunity of the half fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who shot wide from inside the box after a rare counter-attack.
Arsenal doubled their advantage one minute into the second half when summer signing Viktor Gyökeres tapped in from close range following a setup from Eberechi Eze, who was making his first start for the club. Zubimendi sealed the victory with his second goal, heading in a cross from substitute Leandro Trossard.
The performance was a significant rebound for Arsenal following their recent loss to Liverpool. Arteta’s attacking lineup, featuring Eze and Madueke on the flanks and Gyökeres up front, proved effective. In midfield, Mikel Merino was given a start and impressed, having recently scored a hat-trick for Spain while on international duty.
Arsenal’s backline also stood firm, with Cristhian Mosquera partnering Gabriel in place of the injured William Saliba and putting in a solid performance. Goalkeeper David Raya celebrated his 100th appearance for the club with his 42nd clean sheet.
For Nottingham Forest, the match marked the beginning of the Postecoglou era. The Australian manager was appointed only days before the match, limiting his time to implement his tactical vision. Despite this, Forest attempted to press Arsenal higher up the pitch, a notable shift from the more defensive, counter-attacking style favoured by previous manager Nuno Espírito Santo. However, they were ultimately overwhelmed by a superior Arsenal side.
Nottingham Forest will now turn their attention to a Carabao Cup tie against Swansea City on Wednesday, while Arsenal will face Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.