Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge suffered another setback as they played out a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground on Wednesday. The result means the Gunners have now dropped crucial points in their pursuit of league leaders Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to create clear chances, with their lack of attacking options due to injuries becoming more apparent. With key players like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz unavailable, Arsenal found it difficult to break through Forest’s defensive setup.
The visitors managed just one shot on target throughout the game, underlining their struggles in front of goal. Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori came closest to scoring when his first-half shot struck the inside of the post, but luck was not on Arsenal’s side. Midfielder Mikel Merino, who was once again deployed in an unfamiliar forward role, forced a save from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels with a second-half header, but that was the only real test for the hosts.
Despite their attacking struggles, Arsenal did well to prevent Nottingham Forest from creating many chances. The home side’s best opportunity came in the 70th minute when Chris Wood found space in the box, but his shot was too close to Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who made a comfortable save.
With this draw, Arsenal cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to 10 points. However, Jurgen Klopp’s men have a chance to extend their advantage to 13 points with a win over Newcastle. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest remain in third place, ahead of defending champions Manchester City.
