By Olaitan Ibrahim
Arsenal continued their strong push for a top-four finish in the English Premier League with an impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The match, which saw the Gunners dominate from start to finish, began with a quick disallowed goal in the fifth minute.
Jurrien Timber thought he had scored, but the linesman ruled the effort offside. Arsenal’s appeals were dismissed, and the referee opted for a VAR review, confirming the decision to cancel the goal.
Despite the early setback, Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Bukayo Saka, showcasing his trademark skill, weaved through Forest’s defence and finished with a superb strike inside the box, sending the ball past goalkeeper Matz Sels and into the top corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Forest goalkeeper Sels was kept busy, denying Saka’s potential second in the 42nd minute, with a brilliant save to thwart another powerful shot destined for the bottom left corner.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 52nd minute, with Saka once again playing a key role. His pass to Thomas Partey was met with a stunning long-range effort that left Sels helpless as the ball nestled in the bottom left corner, making it 2-0.
In the 86th minute, Arsenal sealed their dominant performance with a third goal from Ethan Nwaneri. A well-timed assist from Raheem Sterling allowed the young forward to slot the ball coolly into the right side of the net, completing a comfortable 3-0 victory for the hosts.
Nottingham Forest had a late chance to pull one back when Jota Silva thought he had scored, but his effort was ruled out for offside in the final moments of the match.
With the win, Arsenal maintained their position in the top four, further strengthening their bid for Champions League qualification.