Noni Madueke’s Late Strike Earns Arsenal 1-0 Win at Nottingham Forest
Arsenal left Nottingham Forest with a 1-0 win despite registering only one shot on target, as Noni Madueke’s deflected 80th-minute effort settled a tense Premier League contest at the City Ground.
Match facts
| Item | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Nottingham Forest 0-1 Arsenal | Madueke scored the decisive late goal |
| Arsenal shots on target | 1 | Their only effort on goal produced the winner |
| Arsenal competitive record | 10 wins from 11 matches | Arteta pointed to the side’s ability to win in different ways |
| Forest league position | Relegation zone after seven games | Third successive league defeat |
Madueke had entered at half-time in place of Eberechi Eze and made the difference when his strike took a deflection on its way in. Arsenal had struggled to create clean openings against a compact Forest defence, but the substitute’s intervention delivered three important points.
Mikel Arteta accepted that his side had found little room to operate, but stressed that the result represented another example of Arsenal adapting to a difficult match rather than playing at their most fluent.
“We have played 11 competitive matches and won 10,” Arteta said. “We are going to find different ways of winning in different contexts.”
Arteta said Arsenal had expected Forest to make the early stages difficult, describing the home side’s narrow defensive shape as a “Christmas tree” that left little space between the lines. He felt his players needed either greater precision or more disorder in the penalty area, through open play and set-pieces, to break Forest down.
Arsenal did create two major chances without testing the goalkeeper, and Arteta acknowledged that his team had to change their approach as frustration grew. The eventual goal, however, gave them the outcome they required.
Madueke earns Arteta’s praise
Madueke had been omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad, but Arteta highlighted both the winger’s growing decisiveness and his standing within the Arsenal dressing room.
The Arsenal manager described the 24-year-old as a popular and distinctive personality, noting that teammates had identified Madueke as someone they would contact if they needed help. Arteta said that reaction reflected the forward’s character and the way he relates to people around the squad.
He also believes Madueke has returned from the international break with greater edge and purpose. “He is in a good moment,” Arteta said, adding that the player has shown more anger and conviction in his actions and is now deciding matches, as Arsenal expect from a player of his quality.
Forest left to rue missed opportunities
For Forest, the defeat was particularly painful because Oliver Glasner’s side limited Arsenal to one effort on target and fashioned significant openings of their own, especially after the interval. They failed to take two late chances and were punished by Arsenal’s only shot on goal.
It was Forest’s third 1-0 defeat at home this season, while they have now gone five home fixtures in all competitions without scoring. The run of three consecutive league losses has left them in the bottom three after seven matches as they continue to adjust under Glasner.
Glasner said the recurring question after recent games supplied its own answer: Forest have had promising moments but have not converted them. He praised the defensive display, saying his team had performed at a high level without the ball, and considered the deflected winner especially difficult to accept.
“It feels harsh and unfair, but we have to accept that we are missing some bits,” Glasner said. He maintained confidence in the work being done, insisting the team have repeatedly shown that the approach can succeed, even if they have not yet reached the required level in front of goal.
