By Our Reporter
Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday to maintain pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City, with substitute Noni Madueke scoring the decisive goal in the 80th minute.
The Gunners struggled to break down Forest’s defence for much of the encounter but eventually found the breakthrough when Madueke’s effort took a deflection off defender Jair Cunha and found the net.
The victory lifted Mikel Arteta’s side back to second place on the league table, three points behind Manchester City, who maintained their perfect home record with a seventh consecutive victory against Ipswich.
Despite securing all three points, Arsenal produced a disjointed attacking performance, managing just one shot on target throughout the match.
Nottingham Forest, under manager Oliver Glasner, defended resolutely and created opportunities of their own, particularly towards the closing stages, but failed to convert their chances.
Speaking after the match, Arteta acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter, saying his players had to remain focused and work hard until the final whistle.
“We had to earn it until the last second,” he told the BBC, describing Forest as a well-coached side that was difficult to break down.
The Arsenal manager added that his team had to take risks while managing the emotional demands of the contest, praising the impact of the substitutes who helped secure the victory.
The defeat leaves Forest in the relegation zone, while Arsenal continue their pursuit of Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
