Match ends, Arsenal 2, Nottingham Forest 1.
Bukayo Saka's superb first-half strike helped Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend.
The 21-year-old England forward added to Eddie Nketiah's 26th minute opener with a curling effort from outside the area that nestled itself into the top left corner of the Forest net, well past the reach of former Gunners keeper Matt Turner.
But last season's Premier League runners-up had to survive a late charge by Forest after substitute Taiwo Awoniyi clawed a goal back in the 83rd minute.
The game had been delayed by 30 minutes because of an e-ticketing system issue that meant the majority of fans were still outside Emirates Stadium at the scheduled kick-off time of 12:30 BST.
When play did eventually get underway, it was Nottingham Forest with the first clear-cut chance when Brennan Johnson was put through on goal against Aaron Ramsdale, but the Wales forward lofted his shot high and wide when the Arsenal goalkeeper rushed off his mark.
That was to be a rare attacking threat from the visitors as Arsenal created the majority of chances until Awoniyi helped the visitors roar to life and create a tense finish.
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Arsenal off to perfect start
After a disappointing end to last season, Arsenal's opening weekend win helps them gather more momentum to add to their Community Shield win over Manchester City at Wembley last weekend.
The Gunners led the Premier League for 248 days last season but their challenge fell apart in the closing stages as City overtook them to claim the title as part of a Treble, along with the Champions League and FA Cup.
Arsenal's big summer signings Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all started again for Mikel Arteta, having made their competitive debuts in the Community Shield, but it was Gabriel Martinelli who looked the liveliest in the opening stages.
The Brazilian winger darted in and out of the Forest defence to create the goalscoring opportunity for Nketiah, who netted his first goal since January when his shot took the slightest of deflections off Joe Worrall to send Turner the wrong way.
Eight minutes later, Saka's quality shone through when he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, cut inside and fired home Arsenal's second.
However, Arsenal's afternoon was marred when Timber, signed from Ajax for £34m last month, limped off the pitch and was replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu in the 50th minute with what appeared to be a calf injury.
Rice, a £100m signing from West Ham, was effective in the Arsenal midfield and came close on a couple of occasions to adding a third for the home side, but his best effort, a 20-yard strike, was pushed on to the post by Turner's fingertip save.
Forest charge too late for impressive comeback
Before kick-off Forest manager Steve Cooper said he was still in the process of putting his team together, and it certainly looked that way in north London.
The visitors started with their top scorer from last season, Awoniyi, on the bench with doubts over his recovery from an ankle injury, but apart from Johnson's opening opportunity, chances were lacking and Forest had yet to have an attempt on target when the Nigeria striker was substituted on in the 71st minute.
But Awoniyi proved to be the spark Forest were missing, opening their account for the season when he fired home fellow substitute Anthony Elanga's square pass across the face of Arsenal's goal.
Despite the seven minutes of injury time added on, Cooper's side failed to break down Arsenal's possession to add a second with Morgan Gibbs-White coming closest, but shooting over while stretching.
Player of the match
ElangaAnthony Elanga
Arsenal
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.34
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
6.84
- Squad number2Player nameSalibaAverage rating
6.62
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
6.32
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
6.30
- Squad number12Player nameTimberAverage rating
6.30
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
6.20
- Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
5.99
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
5.95
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
5.69
Nottingham Forest
Avg
- Squad number21Player nameElangaAverage rating
7.41
- Squad number9Player nameAwoniyiAverage rating
7.13
- Squad number7Player nameN WilliamsAverage rating
6.33
- Squad number8Player nameKouyatéAverage rating
5.93
- Squad number20Player nameJohnsonAverage rating
5.82
- Squad number11Player nameWoodAverage rating
5.79
- Squad number1Player nameTurnerAverage rating
5.78
- Squad number10Player nameGibbs-WhiteAverage rating
5.75
- Squad number26Player nameMcKennaAverage rating
5.73
- Squad number28Player nameDaniloAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number43Player nameAinaAverage rating
5.62
- Squad number30Player nameBolyAverage rating
5.58
- Squad number22Player nameYatesAverage rating
5.58
- Squad number24Player nameAurierAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number4Player nameWorrallAverage rating
5.53
- Squad number5Player nameMangalaAverage rating
5.51
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 5Partey
- 4WhiteBooked at 90mins
- 2Saliba
- 12TimberBooked at 45minsSubstituted forTomiyasuat 50'minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 41Rice
- 29Havertz
- 7Saka
- 14NketiahSubstituted forTrossardat 74'minutes
- 11MartinelliSubstituted forGabrielat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Gabriel
- 10Smith Rowe
- 15Kiwior
- 18Tomiyasu
- 19Trossard
- 20Jorginho
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 24Nelson
- 31Hein
Nottm Forest
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Turner
- 30Boly
- 4WorrallSubstituted forWoodat 90'minutes
- 26McKenna
- 24Aurier
- 22Yates
- 5MangalaBooked at 81minsSubstituted forKouyatéat 90'minutes
- 43AinaBooked at 28minsSubstituted forN Williamsat 72'minutes
- 28DaniloSubstituted forAwoniyiat 71'minutes
- 20JohnsonSubstituted forElangaat 80'minutes
- 10Gibbs-White
Substitutes
- 7N Williams
- 8Kouyaté
- 9Awoniyi
- 11Wood
- 19Niakhaté
- 21Elanga
- 23Freuler
- 32O'Brien
- 34Horvath
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 59,984
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home78%
- Away22%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 2, Nottingham Forest 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.
Post update
Foul by Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Post update
Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Cheikhou Kouyaté (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
Post update
Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Kai Havertz (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leandro Trossard.
Post update
Foul by Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).
Post update
Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Ben White (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Sèrge Aurier.
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Cheikhou Kouyaté replaces Orel Mangala.
Substitution
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Chris Wood replaces Joe Worrall.
Post update
Attempt saved. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kai Havertz.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Gabriel Magalhães replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Martin Ødegaard.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Arsenal has to play better, 2-0 is not enough. Remember what happened against Liverpool and West Ham ladt season.
Hope Timber injury is not serious.
This is the future of football ⚽️
Priceless
Rice was brilliant in his defensive work.
Havertz didn't have a great game but the 3 of Saka, Ode and Martinelli looked to have picked up from last season again
Nketiah always reliable.
Saka just quality.
To go to the best team in the land and be in it right at the end shows that they'll be fine this season
Saka !!!
We wont make it to top four with this experiment.