LONDON —
Reiss Nelson was the unlikely hero as
Arsenal retook top spot in the Premier
League with a 5-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
اضافة اعلان
Nelson was
introduced for the first time in the Premier League this season after Bukayo
Saka was forced off with a concerning injury for England boss Gareth Southgate
just weeks ahead of the World Cup.
Saka set up the
opening goal for
Gabriel Martinelli after just five minutes before being
replaced due to an ankle injury.
Nelson struck his
first Premier League goal since July 2020 early in the second half to give
Arsenal breathing space.
He added a second
just three minutes later and then teed up Thomas Partey to curl into the top
corner.
Martin Odegaard
rounded off a performance that shrugged off doubts over Arsenal’s ability to
contend for the title by firing high past Dean Henderson 13 minutes from time.
Victory lifts
Mikel Arteta’s men a point above Manchester City at the top of the table.
The Arsenal players
came together to show support to teammate Pablo Mari before kick-off.
Mari, who is on
loan at Monza, was stabbed during a knife attack in an Italian supermarket this
week that left one person dead.
That incident put
Arsenal’s bad week on the field into perspective after a 1–1 draw at
Southampton last weekend was followed by a 2–0 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the
Europa League.
Any fears that the
Gunners were beginning to feel the fatigue of a packed schedule were blown away
in a blistering opening.
Martinelli ducked
to meet Saka’s inviting cross with his head to open the floodgates.
The Brazilian saw
another effort cleared off the line, while Gabriel Jesus,
Takehiro Tomiyasu and
Odegaard also had chances.
But Saka’s
departure is a major worry for Arteta ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Chelsea next
weekend.
Forest had begun
to find some form on their return to the top flight for the first time in 23
years in recent weeks, including a famous 1-0 win over Liverpool last weekend.
But only towards
the end of the first half did they ever threaten to cause the hosts problems as
Tomiyasu threw himself in front of Jesse Lingard’s effort.
Nelson quickly
settled the game after the break as he blasted past Henderson after his first
effort was saved and then turned in Jesus’ cross at the near post.
Partey made it
four in style as caressed the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.
Jesus was trying
everything he could to end a seven-game goal drought, but had to settle for a
second assist as from his pass, Odegaard found the space to fire home the
fifth.
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