Noni Madueke produced a blinding show as a Martin Zubimendi brace and Victor Gyokeres purpose ensured a depressing first Nottingham Forest outing for brand new supervisor Ange Postecoglou on the Emirates.
Zubimendi’s first purpose in Arsenal colors – a chic first-half volley – set Mikel Arteta’s facet on their method to a snug afternoon that noticed the Spaniard add to his tally following Gyokeres’ purpose simply after the break.
Nevertheless it was Madueke, buoyed after bagging his first England purpose towards Serbia in midweek, who stole the present in north London, oozing confidence and serving to to make sure the Gunners, who misplaced Martin Odegaard to harm early on, returned to the highest of the Premier League.
For Postecoglou and Forest, it was a sobering afternoon as their defensive frailties have been once more uncovered by a workforce with creativity in abundance.
How the motion unfolded
After a reasonably even begin, the primary massive probability of the sport fell the best way of the hosts. From a free-kick, the ball dropped to Mikel Merino, who after scoring a hat-trick towards Turkey in midweek, appeared destined to search out the online, however the versatile Spaniard’s effort as a substitute drew a positive cease from Matz Sels within the Forest purpose.
Arteta was then dealt an early blow when captain Odegaard went down clutching his shoulder following a clumsy tumble simply 10 minutes in.
He tried to play on however was compelled off shortly after, changed by Ethan Nwaneri.
Jurrien Timber then went shut for Arsenal, getting his head to Madueke’s inswinging nook, however the effort deflected broad.
It was about the one motion in an in any other case uneventful opening half hour. However the Forest defence, because it had for 11 consecutive league video games coming into the tie, was ultimately breached, courtesy of a chic first Gunners purpose from Zubimendi.
Assembly a clearance from a nook, the Spanish midfielder hit a thumping volley which sailed previous Sels into the highest nook through a slight deflection off Murillo to provide Arteta’s facet the benefit.
To compound issues for Forest’s new boss, the Brazilian central defender then hobbled off with 5 minutes of the half remaining.
Nonetheless, going behind appeared to jolt Postecoglou’s males into life and Morgan Gibbs-White had the guests’ greatest probability of the half simply earlier than the break when he curled an effort simply broad after a neat one-two with Chris Wooden.
However the resurgence was short-lived. Simply 46 seconds after the restart, Arsenal doubled their lead when Gyokeres tapped dwelling from Eberechi Eze’s low cross.
Within the absence of Bukayo Saka and Odegaard, it was Eze, making his full debut following his transfer from Crystal Palace, in addition to Madueke who have been proving to be Arteta’s inventive sparks.
The England duo each mixed with Gyokeres moments later; a transfer that culminated within the Sweden worldwide rattling the skin of the submit because the Gunners seemed so as to add to their tally.
By this level, Madueke was stuffed with confidence. With quarter-hour remaining, the winger bamboozled the Forest backline earlier than discovering the overlapping Timber with a scrumptious reverse ball.
The total-back then swung in an attractive ball throughout the field that substitute Declan Rice was agonisingly near connecting with.
The squandered alternative mattered little. Zubimendi then made it a brace, heading in from Leandro Trossard’s supply as Postecoglou was made to endure a depressing return to his former membership’s north London rivals.
