Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge suffered another blow as they were held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground last night.
Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession but struggled to break down a resolute Forest defence.
With Liverpool now 13 points ahead, Arsenal’s hopes of mounting a serious title push appear to have slipped away.
With Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sidelined Arsenal lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
Midfielder Mikel Merino once again operated as a makeshift forward but had little success against a disciplined Forest backline. Arteta admitted his side lacked efficiency in front of goal.
“We dominated the game, but we lacked the final pass and the quality on the deliveries,” he said. “We had chances, especially from set-pieces, but we couldn’t convert, which is very disappointing.”
Forest defended deep and frustrated Arsenal throughout. Murillo was outstanding at the heart of their defence, while goalkeeper Matz Sels made crucial saves to deny the Gunners.
Martin Odegaard came closest to breaking the deadlock late on when his effort was cleared off the line, but the goal would not have stood as Leandro Trossard was offside in the build-up.
Arteta acknowledged the need for solutions. “We are trying different ways, different players, but we have to be more efficient,” he added.
“It’s a challenge, but we have to step up. We dropped two points today, which is very painful.”
Forest celebrated a valuable point in their push for a top-four finish. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised his team’s organisation.
“We were compact and didn’t allow Arsenal too much,” he said. “They are a very good team, but we defended well and showed our strengths.”
Arsenal’s attacking struggles have become a growing concern, with Arteta admitting the absence of Saka and Martinelli has left them short of options.
Asked about their potential return, he remained cautious. “I don’t think they’ll be back before the international break,” he said. “We have to integrate them gradually.”
Arsenal now turn their focus to the Champions League, but with their Premier League ambitions fading, questions will continue to be asked about how they can rediscover their cutting edge.
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