Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Saka and Jesus goals
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners close gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool after surviving a late comeback from the hosts when Taiwo Awoniyi pulled one back
Arsenal overcame a sluggish first-half performance to cut the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to two points after a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest. The Gunners looked toothless in the first half, but rallied to register three big points thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka. The result leaves them on the coattails of Liverpool, who can extend their lead back to five points against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Forest had no intention of going for the win in a pragmatic approach deployed by Nuno Espirito Santo, but they made a game of it late on as Taiwo Awoniyi slammed home in the 89th minute. Arsenal saw it out to end a three-game losing streak at the City Ground and exorcise the ghosts of last season’s defeat, which saw their title challenge come to an end.
Forest’s situation at the foot of the Premier League is looking precarious, as they sit two points above the relegation zone with the threat of a points deduction for breaking financial rules hanging over them. Follow live reaction from Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal in tonight’s live blog, below.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Mikel Arteta on his Arsenal future:
“I am in the right place. I am with the right people. I feel really good about it. And, as I said many times, I am invested in a beautiful journey with this football club, with these players, these staff, our people.
“There is still a lot to do here. We all share that ambition and you can feel it as well, that we want more, that we aren’t satisfied and that the club wants to take another push and another level in everything we are doing.
“This is where we are. We need everyone on board to achieve it and I am certainly on board.”
On his contract:
“I have a good relationship with Edu and the board. Things come in a natural way. When the time is right we will have those discussions and think of the best way to do it.”
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Mikel Arteta on reports linking him with Barcelona in the summer:
“That’s totally fake news. What you read yesterday is... I don’t know where it is coming from and it is totally untrue. I am really upset about it.
“I could not believe it. I don’t know where it is coming from and it has no source. It has got nothing and I think we have to be very cautious when you talk about personal things, to put it in the way it was put yesterday.
“I understand we are in this industry but I don’t think anyone deserves to hear news like that and I have always been really straight and always said the complete opposite; how happy I am, how grateful I am and how much I enjoy where I am now. That is why I am upset.”
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Predicted line-ups
Nottingham Forest XI: Turner; Montiel, Omobamidele, Murillo, Toffolo; Mangala, Yates; Gibbs-White, Danilo, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Team news
Forest remain without Ola Aina, Cheikhou Kouyate, Willy Boly, Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare and Moussa Niakhate as they are still at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Anthony Elanga, Divock Origi and Taiwo Awoniyi are out injured. Nuno Tavares is unable to face his former club.
Arsenal have a couple of injury doubts, with Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes forced off in the win over Crystal Palace and both set for late fitness tests. Thomas Partey remains out due to injury.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
When is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal?
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal kicks off at 7:30pm GMT on Tuesday 30 January at the City Ground, Nottingham.
Is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal on TV?
The match will be shown live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 7pm. Subscribers can also stream the match live on Discovery+
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Good evening
Nottingham Forest host Arsenal in the Premier League tonight as the Gunners look to close the gap to the Premier League summit. As speculation swirls around Mikel Arteta’s future, with the Arsenal manager hitting out at “fake news” after being linked with a summer move to Barcelona, the Spaniard’s side can close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just two points - but they must first halt a three-game losing streak at the City Ground.
Forest have beaten Arsenal at home in each of their last three meetings, including the win that sealed Manchester City’s title at the end of last season and a defeat in the third round of the FA Cup the year before. Now managed by former Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, the hosts sit just four points and two places above the relegation zone following a contentious 3-2 defeat at Brentford earlier this month.
Arsenal, meanwhile, bounced back from a run of poor form with a 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Emirates and will want to put pressure on Jurgen Klopp’s Reds ahead of hosting the league leaders on Sunday. Follow live updates from Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal in tonight’s live blog
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