Arsenal reignite Premier League bid with victory over Forest in gameweek 12

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Arsenal ended their four-game Premier League winless streak with a convincing 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Mikel Arteta’s men came up big to earn him a much-needed victory in his 250th game in charge at the North London club.

The Gunners were level on points with an impressive Forest side coming into the game, after falling off the top of the league standings in the last four games. They have shown remarkable improvements after the international break with a superb victory on home turf. They dominated the game early on and thought they had taken the lead when Jurrien Timber scored, only for the goal to be ruled out due to a marginal offside by Mikel Merino.

The breakthrough came through Bukayo Saka in the 15th minute. The English winger shed his injury fears by starting the game after dropping out of England’s Nations League games with Greece and the Republic of Ireland. He brilliantly combined with Martin Ødegaard at the edge of the area before unleashing a powerful strike to open the scoring.

Arsenal could have extended their lead before halftime, with Saka, Ødegaard, and Leandro Trossard all coming close to scoring. Nottingham Forest’s resilience after halftime didn’t last long as Arsenal doubled their lead, thanks to substitute Thomas Partey’s shot, which beat Metz Sels from 20 yards out. The hosts maintained control of the game until the 86th minute, when another substitute, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal and Arsenal’s third of the evening.

The win has reignited the hopes of a Premier League challenge for Mikel Arteta’s men. They currently sit fourth and level on points with third-place Chelsea, who also defeated Leicester City 2-1 away from home. Manchester City, in second place, is now only a point away after their 4-0 loss to Tottenham at home, ending their bid to break the Premier League’s longest undefeated home run. With Liverpool still flying high in first place, it would take an exceptional series of world-class and unblemished displays for Arsenal to make it to the top spot in the Premier League, as they keep fighting to end their twenty-year EPL drought.

THE GUNNERS PICK UP INTEREST IN BARCA’S FERRAN TORRES

Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Barcelona forward Ferran Torres as a potential target for the upcoming January transfer window. Multiple reports from Spain have confirmed the North London club’s interest in the 24-year-old forward, who has lost regular playtime in the Hansi Flick era.

Arsenal and Aston Villa are the latest Premier League clubs to show interest in the UEFA youth and senior Euro winner. The Spaniard was a consistent starter under Xavi at Barcelona. This season, he has only managed six starts in La Liga and featured for only 430 minutes in their last fourteen league games, scoring once against Real Valladolid. This is largely influenced by the competition he faces at the club with the brilliance of the trio—Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha, who are currently in excellent form. He missed Barca’s last trip to Celta Vigo with a hamstring injury.

Despite his lack of playtime at Barca, the 24-year-old ex-Manchester City and Valencia man earned recalls to the Spanish national squad in the UEFA Nations League, showing the quality he brings to each game he features in. His contract with Barcelona runs until 2027, and the Spaniard turned down offers to return to the Premier League with Aston Villa last summer, as he remains committed to proving himself at the Camp Nou.

Nevertheless, Barcelona’s ongoing financial struggles may force the club to consider offers, potentially opening the door for Arsenal, who are in the market for a lethal and consistent goal scorer. Mikel Arteta is familiar with Torres from his time in the Premier League. During his stint at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Ferran Torres scored 16 goals and provided 4 assists in 43 appearances, averaging a goal contribution every 132 minutes, even though he wasn’t a regular starter.

Arsenal see him as a versatile addition to their attacking options this January and may face heavy competition from Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, who have been keen on bringing the Spaniard to Birmingham as part of the club’s resurgence. Although their past attempts to sign him have been unsuccessful, Barcelona’s financial struggles may make them more receptive to offers this time.

Torres’ current market value is estimated at around €30 million, but it remains uncertain whether he will leave Barcelona in January, as he appears determined to fight for his place in Hansi Flick’s squad. The Spanish club is unlikely to part ways with many players in the January transfer window, with only Ansu Fati seeking more game time away from the club. Arsenal’s decision to take Raheem Sterling on loan last summer and their interest in Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyökeres and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen could hugely influence their pursuit of the Spanish forward.

With the January transfer window approaching, Arsenal, Villa, PSG, and Juventus are expected to keep monitoring his situation closely. No formal offers have been made yet.

UPCOMING ARSENAL GAMES

It will be non-stop action for the Gunners till the end of the year, with superb games lined up for football enthusiasts. With a face-off against the still unbeaten Portuguese champions on Tuesday through to the game on Boxing Day, the Gunners will surely deliver impressive performances on all fronts.

Here is a list of Arsenal games till the end of 2024:

Tuesday, 26th November: Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal — 20:00 (UEFA Champions League, Estádio José Alvalade)

Saturday, 30th November: West Ham United vs Arsenal — 17:30 (Premier League, London Stadium)

Wednesday, 4th December: Arsenal vs Manchester United — 20:15 (Premier League, Emirates Stadium)

Sunday, 8th December: Fulham vs Arsenal — 14:00 (Premier League, Craven Cottage)

Wednesday, 11th December: Arsenal vs Monaco — 20:00 (UEFA Champions League, Emirates Stadium)

Saturday, 14th December: Arsenal vs Everton — 15:00 (Premier League, Emirates Stadium)

Wednesday, 18th December: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace — 19:30 (Carabao Cup, Emirates Stadium)

Saturday, 21st December: Crystal Palace vs Arsenal — 17:30 (Premier League, Selhurst Park)

Friday, 27th December: Arsenal vs Ipswich Town — 20:15 (Premier League, Emirates Stadium)

GET AVAILABLE ARSENAL TICKETS!

After the win against Forest over the weekend, Arsenal tickets have remained a hot topic, with demand leaving the official sites dry. Buy tickets to Arsenal games through secondary ticket marketplaces, and reserve a spot for yourself and loved ones at games in the Emirates Stadium and across Europe this season.

Arsenal’s upcoming matches will be pivotal in their chase for silverware this season. With Manchester City’s recent woes, Arsenal are opportune to go head-to-head with Liverpool to snatch their most coveted domestic silverware after two long decades. To do this, they must be the perfect contenders. Their last five games without a win have slowed their progress, but this doesn’t predict their future for the season if they put in the work required to go toe-to-toe with the best in England and across Europe in the UEFA Champions League. While Mikel Arteta will have the chance to make notable changes and additions to his squad in the January transfer window, his current team has proven they can still get the job done. The club may need to reserve and grow talents like Nwaneri if they wish to be a formidable force in the near future.

It’s going to be a long, interesting, and fun few weeks with the Premier League spanning till March without breaks. The team’s mettle will be tested in these domestic and European games, and for sure, the Gunners are up to the task. Be part of the supporting train by getting tickets to Arsenal games and cheering our boys on to victory!

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