On the day that one homegrown striker departed north London to leave his side in a state of flux heading into the new season, another struck first to help give his a winning start to the campaign.
An Arsenal lineup in evolution, featuring all three summer signings and a reimagined shape, looked understandably disjointed for much of the opening half-hour here, but Eddie Nketiah’s strike - the Gunners’ first on target - broke Nottingham Forest’s early resolve. Within minutes, Bukayo Saka’s stunner had doubled the lead and though Taiwo Awoniyi’s effort set up a nervy finish, last year’s Premier League runners-up held on for a 2-1 victory.
