Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Nottingham Forest
0–1
Full time
Arsenal
City Ground, Nottingham
- Competition
- Premier League
- Round
- Round 7
- Referee
- Michael Oliver
- Capacity
- 30,602
Match facts last updated
Noni Madueke came off the bench to rescue Arsenal’s afternoon at the City Ground, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, 18 October 2026.
Madueke’s deflected strike in the 80th minute was Arsenal’s only shot on target, delivering three points from a match in which their control of possession rarely translated into attacking fluency.
Arsenal remained second on 18 points, three behind leaders Manchester City. For Forest, a determined defensive performance ended without reward as Oliver Glasner’s team fell to 18th with five points and remained without a home league goal this season.
Forest Restrict Arsenal’s Openings
Arsenal had the ball for almost three-quarters of the match, yet the shooting figures illustrated their difficulties in attack. The visitors recorded 73.8% possession and nine attempts, while Forest produced 14 efforts and led the shots-on-target count 2–1.
Glasner’s side stayed compact around their own penalty area and looked to counter through Liam Delap. Arsenal were able to move the ball across the pitch, but finding space between Forest’s defenders proved much harder.
Set pieces offered the clearest first-half opportunities. Kai Havertz headed off target from a Declan Rice free-kick, while Gabriel’s improvised effort was blocked amid a scramble in the penalty area. Neither incident forced Matz Sels into a save.
The hosts’ approach kept the score level at the interval and placed the emphasis on Arteta’s ability to change the contest. Arsenal needed a more direct threat against defenders who had largely been able to hold their positions.
Madueke Provides the Decisive Intervention
Arteta introduced Madueke for Eberechi Eze at half-time, giving Arsenal a different option on the left. The substitution did not produce an immediate breakthrough, but it eventually supplied the action that Forest could not contain.
Further changes followed in the 66th minute, with Jurriën Timber, Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyökeres replacing Ben White, Bruno Guimarães and Havertz. Those alterations refreshed Arsenal’s options across the pitch, although Forest continued to resist.
With ten minutes of normal time remaining, Madueke moved infield from the left and drove a shot towards goal. The ball struck Jair Cunha, changed direction and beat the wrong-footed Sels.
There was fortune in the finish, but the winger had created the shooting opportunity by attacking his marker. On an afternoon when Arsenal’s passing had yielded few openings, his direct approach gave them a route through.
The goal also ended a recent pattern at this ground. Arsenal’s previous two Premier League visits to Forest, in February 2025 and January 2026, had both finished goalless.
Forest Threaten a Late Equaliser
Forest still had opportunities to overturn the deficit, leaving Arsenal with little margin for error in the closing stages.
Murillo threatened to change the outcome in stoppage time, carrying the ball forward on an ambitious solo run before curling his shot narrowly wide. Ezri Konsa then made an important late challenge to stop Delap, ensuring the visitors’ defensive work was as valuable as Madueke’s contribution.
“We showed grit, determination,” Madueke told Sky Sports afterwards. His assessment reflected a result secured through contributions at both ends, with Arsenal protecting their narrow advantage through a tense finish.
For Glasner, the frustration was that a performance which limited the champions so effectively still produced no points. Forest had carried a threat on the counter, but Arsenal’s late interventions preserved an advantage that their attack had taken most of the match to establish.
Arsenal Maintain Momentum Despite Attacking Concerns
The victory gave Arsenal six wins from seven league matches, a strong return despite their uneven attacking display in Nottingham. They have scored 11 league goals, with eight arriving after half-time, underlining the importance of their second-half contributions.
It was also their third consecutive victory in all competitions, following a 2–1 league win over Leeds United and a 3–0 Champions League success against Lille. That sequence provides momentum, although the lack of clear chances at Forest leaves Arteta with work to do on his team’s attacking combinations.
Forest, meanwhile, suffered a third successive league defeat. Their immediate challenge is to turn the organisation shown against Arsenal into results by making more of the opportunities they create.
Key moments
Nottingham Forest
0 - 1
Full time
Arsenal
- 17' Neco Williams Yellow card Not
- 46' On: Noni Madueke Off: Eberechi Eze Substitution Ars
- 53' Noni Madueke Yellow card Ars
- 66' On: Jurrien Timber Off: Ben White Substitution Ars
- 66' On: Viktor Gyoekeres Off: Kai Havertz Substitution Ars
- 66' On: Mikel Merino Off: Bruno Guimaraes Substitution Ars
- 73' On: Arnaud Kalimuendo-Muinga Off: Dan Ndoye Substitution Not
- 74' On: Ibrahim Sangare Off: Nicolas Dominguez Substitution Not
- 80' Noni Madueke Goal 0 - 1 Ars
- 85' On: Chris Wood Off: Jair Filho Substitution Not
- 85' On: Callum Hudson-Odoi Off: James McAtee Substitution Not
Match facts last updated
Publisher
The BW Game Hub Sports Analysis Unit is the senior sports news desk at BW Game Hub, overseeing daily sports news coverage, football market analysis and legal updates across international jurisdictions. With a background in sports journalism and market research, the unit tracks player movements, league developments and operator news to bring readers real-time, verified insights.
