Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners in title race after they close gap to leaders Liverpool

Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners in title race after they close gap to leaders Liverpool✌

Arsenal's exuberant celebration at the final whistle at the City Ground was a stark contrast to their previous visit to Nottingham Forest, where a defeat ended their season-long pursuit of the Premier League title. In May, Forest celebrated a survival-clinching goal by Taiwo Awoniyi, contributing to Arsenal's late-season collapse and Manchester City clinching the championship.

This time, while Arsenal's title hopes were not on the line, they couldn't afford a defeat, especially with Premier League leaders Liverpool scheduled to visit Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Manager Mikel Arteta, the players, and the traveling fans erupted in joy after a tense final five minutes of stoppage time, where Forest's Awoniyi scored late.

Despite a stressful night, with Forest only causing anxiety in the closing stages, Arsenal looked lethargic and vulnerable in the first half. They lacked urgency and penetration against Forest's defensive strategy, but in the second half, Arsenal increased the pace, aided by a mistake from former keeper Matt Turner that led to Gabriel Jesus' goal at 65 minutes. Bukayo Saka secured the second goal, and despite Awoniyi's late goal, Arsenal emerged victorious.

The win, while well-deserved and worth celebrating, was not without its challenges. A heated confrontation between Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko after the final whistle, requiring separation by Arsenal's backroom staff, added to the drama. Arteta saw it as a public display of his players' passion for the result and the club's pursuit of glory.

Arsenal keeper David Raya had little to do against a struggling Forest side, emphasizing the significance of this victory. The win narrowed the gap on leaders Liverpool to two points before their clash on Sunday, following Liverpool's match against Chelsea. While calling the Liverpool encounter a "must-win" might be exaggerated, it is undeniably crucial both in footballing and psychological terms to avoid defeat. The team's confidence has been boosted by the recent 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace and this triumph at Forest, creating a positive atmosphere for upcoming matches.

Arsenal 'lack natural cutting edge'

Arsenal also have unfinished business with Liverpool following their recent 2-0 defeat at home in the FA Cup third-round tie. Despite having numerous opportunities to score, they ultimately succumbed to two late sucker-punches.

While there remains a sense that Arsenal lack a natural cutting edge, there is also much to admire, and they find themselves well positioned in the Premier League title race.

Gabriel Jesus is the striker tasked with shouldering that responsibility, and he delivered in this match, rattling the bar with a fierce strike before capitalizing on Turner's blunder.

Arsenal's defense remained largely untroubled elsewhere, with Forest's cautious game plan making it a relatively straightforward night for their defenders until Awoniyi's return from injury in October, adding a new dimension to the contest.

As we approach the critical junctures of the season's latter stages, Arsenal can rightfully consider themselves in a strong position alongside the league leaders.

Securing victory at the same venue where they suffered a devastating defeat last season is a significant achievement for Arsenal, providing them with momentum ahead of Sunday's monumental clash with Liverpool.

Source: cometodaddy.xyz