EPL: Arsenal held to goalless draw by Nottingham Forest
Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, but the result was enough for the Gunners to maintain a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
The London club had an opportunity to extend their advantage to nine points after Manchester City lost 2-0 to Manchester United earlier in the day. However, Arsenal struggled in the first half, failing to register a shot on target as Forest defended resolutely to boost their chances of avoiding relegation.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made several tactical substitutions in the second half, introducing Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, and Gabriel Jesus to stretch Forest’s defence. Saka came closest to scoring with a looping header from Declan Rice’s cross, brilliantly saved by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, while Merino was unable to convert a free-kick delivery from Rice.
Despite the draw, Arsenal’s defence held firm, securing their 11th clean sheet in 22 league matches and keeping them well-positioned to end a 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
Forest, meanwhile, earned a valuable point, moving five points clear of the relegation zone after responding to manager Sean Dyche’s criticism following their FA Cup exit against Wrexham last weekend.
Third-placed Aston Villa could narrow the gap to four points if they beat Everton in Sunday’s fixture.
