“You cannot give time to players to decide so freely” - Nuno Espirito Santo names 3 Arsenal players who caused problems for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has singled out three Arsenal players who have contributed to his side's failure. The Gunners ended a four-game winless run by claiming a commanding 3-0 win over Forest to remain in fourth place in the Premier League.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had a number of unfit stars ahead of the game at the Emirates but was able to start Bukayo Saka, who proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the Forest. The Englishman, alongside a number of others, tormented Nottingham and handed them a second successive league defeat.
Former Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo rued his side's luck at having faced an Arsenal side brimming with quality. Speaking to football.london, he named Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Leandro Trossard as players who gave his side trouble in the game.
“A lot. Quality players when they are involved in the game it becomes harder," he said. “Ode is one of them. Trossard created problems and Saka created problems. You cannot give time to players to decide so freely.”
Gunners captain Odegaard made his first appearance at the Emirates since August, having spent around two months on the sidelines through injury. The 25-year-old registered a 90% pass accuracy while creating six chances and recording an assist in the game.
Saka scored one and assisted another to take his tally for the season to four goals and eight assists in the Premier League. Trossard was also very involved, creating a chance for a teammate and attempting two shots in the game for Arsenal.
Arsenal trounce Nottingham Forest to deliver timely reminder of quality
Arsenal ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over high-flying Nottingham Forest to keep their spot in the Premier League's top four this season. The Gunners took full advantage of the international break to refresh their systems and return with a quality performance on home turf.
Starting after dropping out of the England squad last week, 23-year-old forward Bukayo Saka rifled home the opener after just 15 minutes. The Gunners had to wait until the second half to score a second, with Thomas Partey curling home a beauty in the 52nd minute to effectively seal the win.
Teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri came off the bench to score his side's third in the 86th minute, becoming their second youngest-ever Premier League goalscorer. Arteta's side retained their place in the top four, narrowing the gap to leaders Liverpool to six points, although they have played a game more.