Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest — Zubimendi double as Arteta's side overwhelm Postecoglou's new-look Forest

Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday as Martin Zubimendi scored twice and Viktor Gyokeres added a goal in a dominant display that left Forest manager Ange Postecoglou facing a stark early test in his new role.

Arsenal took the lead from a set-piece when Noni Madueke curled a corner that was headed clear and Zubimendi volleyed home. After a first-half injury forced captain Martin Ødegaard off, Arsenal extended their lead early in the second half when Riccardo Calafiori’s long ball found space behind the Forest defence, Eberechi Eze collected and laid the ball across for Gyokeres to finish from close range. Zubimendi completed the scoring late on with a header from a Leandro Trossard cross.

The win was built on sustained pressure, quick transitions and set-piece effectiveness. Arsenal dominated possession for long spells and repeatedly targeted Forest’s full-backs, with Madueke twice beating Morato and causing repeated problems down the left; Eze was similarly influential on the opposite flank. Timber and Gabriel also threatened from Arsenal set plays before Zubimendi’s opener.

Ødegaard was involved in a heavy collision with Morgan Gibbs-White and Jurrien Timber in the 15th minute and left the field soon after; 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri replaced him and Arsenal’s tempo remained high. Forest’s centre-back Nicolo Savona misjudged Calafiori’s long ball after the interval, allowing Eze to create Gyokeres’ goal; VAR briefly checked for offside and then allowed the strike to stand.

Postecoglou, who has only recently taken charge at Forest, made limited but noticeable alterations to the squad’s setup, attempting a higher line and a greater emphasis on possession than under his predecessor. Those adjustments were exposed by Arsenal’s pace and variety. Forest were pinned deep for much of the game and struggled to cope with Arsenal’s combinations and set-piece deliveries. Chris Wood did force a header off the bar in the second half, one of Forest’s clearest openings, but chances were otherwise scarce.

Arteta used the game to highlight the depth of his squad. Declan Rice was given a rest and introduced from the bench, and Arsenal’s bench on the day included the likes of Piero Hincapié, Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli, Nwaneri and Trossard. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and William Saliba remained absent from the matchday squad due to injury.

Forest’s injury issues included the loss of defender Murillo during the first half; he was replaced by Savona. The result leaves Postecoglou with work to do to reshape the side in his image and to make his defensive intentions more resilient against top-tier opponents.

The victory continues a strong start to the season for Arsenal, who combined individual performances and collective intensity to secure a convincing home win. The outcome also served as an early indicator of the challenges facing Nottingham Forest as they adapt to a new manager’s methods and personnel tweaks.