Nottingham Forest produced one of their most disciplined performances of the season to hold Arsenal to a goalless draw at the City Ground, denying the league leaders a chance to move nine points clear at the summit. Instead, the result leaves the title race finely balanced, with Aston Villa now able to close the gap to just four points, while Manchester City’s earlier defeat to Manchester United made this dropped opportunity feel even heavier for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Despite controlling large spells of the contest, Arsenal lacked cutting edge in front of goal, while Forest — led energetically from the touchline by Sean Dyche, whose constant cries of “Move!” echoed around the stadium — defended with organisation, aggression and belief.
Line-ups and Key Selections
Arsenal started with Noni Madueke on the right flank and Viktor Gyökeres leading the line, but neither could provide the breakthrough Arteta was seeking. Madueke showed flashes of directness early on, winning corners and stretching Neco Williams, yet his final delivery lacked precision. Gyökeres endured a particularly frustrating evening, failing to control a promising through-ball when clean through and later seeing a close-range effort smothered by Murillo in a last-ditch block.
Forest, meanwhile, relied on the defensive authority of Murillo and the work rate of Nicolas Domínguez and Elliot Anderson in midfield, allowing Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White to carry the counter-attacking threat.
Arsenal Dominate, Forest Survive
The opening half saw Arsenal dominate territory and possession, circulating the ball patiently and forcing Forest deep. Their clearest chance fell to Gabriel Martinelli, who somehow failed to convert from close range after a teasing cross across the six-yard box — a miss that visibly stunned the Arsenal bench.
Forest weathered the storm and began to grow into the game, with Hudson-Odoi testing David Raya’s alertness and Domínguez seeing a deflected effort drift wide. At half-time, the contest remained delicately poised, with Arsenal ahead on the ball but not on the scoreboard.
Sels Steals the Spotlight
The second half followed a similar pattern. Arteta turned to his bench, introducing Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Mikel Merino in an effort to unlock Forest’s defence. The impact was immediate, with Saka delivering dangerous balls into the box and Merino finding pockets of space between the lines.
The defining moment came when Saka met a Declan Rice cross with a firm header, only for Matz Sels to produce a spectacular fingertip save, clawing the ball away at full stretch. Moments later, Rice himself tested the Forest keeper with a bouncing volley from range, but once again Sels was equal to it.
Merino then squandered another gilt-edged chance, failing to make clean contact from six yards out after yet another pinpoint Rice delivery. For Arsenal, it felt increasingly like one of those nights.
VAR Controversy: Forest Escape
With just over ten minutes remaining, the match swung on a controversial VAR moment. A loose ball bounced towards Ola Aina, whose arm appeared to move towards it as he attempted to keep it in play inside the penalty area. Arsenal players surrounded the referee, convinced they were about to be awarded a decisive penalty.
After a lengthy review, VAR ruled the movement to be natural, and play resumed — a decision that left the visiting bench furious and Forest supporters breathing a collective sigh of relief. It proved to be the final major flashpoint in a tense closing period.
Late Pressure, No Breakthrough
Arsenal continued to push in the dying minutes, with Saka delivering another dangerous cross and Leandro Trossard stretching the Forest back line, but the hosts refused to buckle. Dan Ndoye nearly stole it for Forest in added time, rising at the back post but failing to generate enough power on his header to trouble Raya.
When the final whistle sounded, Forest celebrated a point that felt like a victory, while Arsenal were left to reflect on another night where dominance failed to translate into goals.
Match Statistics
- Possession: Nottingham Forest 36% — Arsenal 64%
- Shots (on target): Forest 2 (0) — Arsenal 4 (0)
- Corners: Forest 3 — Arsenal 5
- Pass accuracy: Forest 82% — Arsenal 89%
- Fouls: Forest 3 — Arsenal 6
Despite Arsenal’s territorial superiority, neither side managed a single shot on target in the first half, underlining Forest’s defensive resilience and Arsenal’s lack of sharpness in decisive areas.
What It Means for the Table
This draw denied Arsenal the chance to stretch their advantage to nine points at the top. With Manchester City already beaten earlier in the day and Aston Villa still to play, the title race suddenly feels far tighter than it did 24 hours earlier.
For Forest, under the animated leadership of Sean Dyche, this was another example of their growing defensive identity at the City Ground. Against one of the league’s most fluid attacking sides, they stood firm, stayed compact and earned a point that could prove significant in their own campaign.
For Arsenal, the frustration centred not just on the missed chances from Martinelli, Gyökeres and Merino, but also on the sense that momentum in the title race slipped through their fingers on a night when their rivals faltered elsewhere.
