As comebacks go, Reiss Nelson emerging from the shadows takes some beating.
But this was also a statement victory from Arsenal as they dug deep to show they are determined to stay in the title race for the long haul. The scoreline makes it look easy - and in the end it was. But, actually, it was a test for Arsenal’s tired legs and whether they could reclaim top spot from Manchester City.
And it was one they came through with flying colours as forgotten man Nelson injected the performance with energy, two goals and an assist after coming off the bench. Nelson, 22, was so far out of the picture that he was loaned out to Feyenoord last season and he had not scored for Arsenal since November 2020 in the Europa League. These were his first goals in the Premier League since July 2020.
But the remarkable thing about Arsenal’s season is the way that Mikel Arteta has managed to get so many players to step up to the plate and play their part in their title challenge. When Bukayo Saka went off injured, it was Nelson’s turn. Granit Xhaka put in another brilliant midfield performance while William Saliba patrolled the defence with such elegant style that Nottingham Forest’s forwards may as well have given up.
Thomas Partey has become a scorer of spectacular goals as, following up from his long range effort against Tottenham, he curled a 20 yarder into the top corner. All this from a team which looked tired in the first half, had every right to be tired after defeat at PSV Eindhoven on Thursday night and yet came back with yet another answer.
Can anyone last with City? It looks a near impossible task and yet Arsenal, despite their wafer thin squad, are determined not to crack. But they are also giving themselves one hell of a cushion in the battle for top four which was, after all, their target at the start of the season.
Arteta is far exceeding that and, even when they have setbacks, they respond to every challenge. This time it was Saka hobbling off. With just a fortnight until England fly to Qatar, every injury comes with extra worry. He bravely carried on after several fouls and then finally hobbled off.
Saka had been driving the game, providing the near post cross for Gabriel Martinelli to ghost into the box and then his glancing header flew into the corner. That was lift-off. They celebrated by holding up a Pablo Mari shirt in support of their team mate.
But then Saka went off. Arsenal got a bit sloppy, looked a bit tired and their levels dropped. Morgan Gibbs-White was lucky only to get a yellow card for an awful challenge on Xhaka.
Nelson looked nervous to do anything. But then he came alive. Arsenal got a second after 50 minutes when Partey, Xhaka and Gabriel Jesus helped set up Nelson whose first shot was blocked by Dean Henderson before he rifled the rebound into the top corner.
Three minutes later, Arsenal got a third. Jesus put in a low cross and Nelson just got in front of the Forest defence to steer home. It was 4-0 after 58 minutes as Nelson’s past set up Partey and his beautiful shot curled into the top corner.
Martin Odegaard looked determined not to be outdone by Partey. The Arsenal captain skipped into the box, threw a dummy, won some space and then drilled a peach of a shot into the top corner.
It was a perfect day for Arsenal other than Jesus failing to get on the score sheet yet again. But even on days like these, you cannot have everything.
