Arsenal and Nottingham Forest played out an entertaining draw at the City Ground in their top of the table Premier League clash.
Both teams were hoping to secure three points, Arsenal to close the gap on Liverpool, Forest to remain on target for a top four finish but they came away with a point each.
Arsenal again rued their lack of a frontline striker as Riccardo Calafiori came closest to breaking the deadlock with a blistering shot in the first half that struck the woodwork. Though Mikel Arteta’s men dominated possession Matz Sels was only called on a few times and the Forest goalkeeper was up to the task of denying Mikel Merino’s headed effort.
Forest’s best chance fell to in-form striker Chris Wood. Morgan Gibbs-White controlled an aerial ball, spun and slipped him in but Wood’s effort couldn’t beat David Raya.
Both defences were on top form as the result was a fair one even if it means the Gunners fall further behind Liverpool in the title race.
Relive the updates from the City Ground here:
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal LIVE
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Nottingham Forest draw with Arsenal in the Premier League
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85’ SAVE! Murillo and Sels keep out a double chance for Odegaard (NFO 0-0 ARS)
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69’ SAVE! Raya denies Wood from close range (NFO 0-0 ARS)
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51’ SAVE! Merino’s header is palmed away by Sels (NFO 0-0 ARS)
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24’ POST! Calafiori unleashes a shot onto the woodwork (NFO 0-0 ARS)
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Arsenal drop points and could fall further behind Liverpool
Nottingham Forest FC 0 – 0 Arsenal FC
Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to ‘step up’ as focus switches to Champions League
01:49 , Jonathan Veal
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told his players to “step up” after their Premier League season continued to fizzle out with a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Arteta said ahead of kick off that his side would concede the title “over my dead body” but he may have to accept that their challenge has died a death after this stalemate, which came four days after a home defeat to West Ham.
The toothless Gunners, playing without a recognised striker, managed just one shot on target at the City Ground, with Riccardo Calafiori also hitting the post in the first half.
They are now 13 points behind champions-elect Liverpool and with a severe lack of attacking options, it would take some turnaround for them to leapfrog Arne Slot’s relentless side.
Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to ‘step up’ as focus switches to Champions League
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:51 , Mike Jones
Martin Keown reacting to Arsenal draw:
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:46 , Mike Jones
“It didn’t happen for Arsenal tonight because they had Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino and a teenager in Ethan Nwaneri playing as the front three and that has crippled the team.
“Throughout the team they looked solid, defended really well and it was a solid contest.
“They took the game to Forest with 65% possession but they could not find the solutions at the top of the team, but I think with the options that they have been left to pick from that is no surprise in the end.”
Full-time! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:24 , Mike Jones
90+5 mins: No goals at the City Ground.
The points are shared and it seems as though Arsenal will drop further behind Liverpool in the title race.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:18 , Mike Jones
90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:17 , Mike Jones
88 mins: Forest are pressing for the winner. They win a corner but Arsenal clear.
It’s going to finish goalless.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:12 , Mike Jones
85 mins: Save!
What a move. Quick passes send Zinchenko in behind the lines and he pulls the ball back to Odegaard.
The Arsenal captain shoots and beats the keeper but Murillo clears the ball off the line.
It comes back to Odegaard who has another go but Sels denies him this time.
It wouldn’t have mattered though as Zinchenko was offside in the build up.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:10 , Mike Jones
83 mins: Forest have a bit of momentum and there is certainly belief that they can go on to win this game.
Arsenal seem the more nervous.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:09 , Mike Jones
81 mins: Into the last 10 minutes now. Murillo fizzes a free kick into the final third and Milenkovic is punished for a foul over on the far side of the box.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:06 , Mike Jones
78 mins: Callum Hudson-Odoi is on free kick duty. He flicks the ball into the box but Merino wins the initial ball and Rice completes the clearance.
Odegaard takes a knock on the back of the head and Arsenal are awarded a free kick of their own.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 21:02 , Mike Jones
75 mins: Ola Aina makes a nice overlapping run and sends in a cross. Saliba is there to deal with the danger but Merino gives up a foul on the edge of the box.
Chance for Forest here?
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:59 , Mike Jones
72 mins: Oleksandr Zinchenko is now on for Arsenal as Jorginho is whipped off the pitch with 20 minutes or so to play.
Chance!
A long ball comes over the top and drops to Chris Wood. He controls it brilliantly and tries to position for the shot. He knocks the ball to his right foot and William Saliba comes flying in to poke the ball away!
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:57 , Mike Jones
69 mins: Save!
A long ball from the goalkeeper sees Forest get into the final third. Morgan Gibbs-White wins it and slips Chris Wood into the box.
Wood shoots but David Raya is positioned well, covering the near post, and pushes the effort away.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:55 , Mike Jones
66 mins: Mikel Merino goes down in the Forest box and claims that he was clipped off the ball by Milenkovic.
Aina dealt with Arsenal’s latest cross and the referee tells Merino to get up and play on.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:50 , Mike Jones
63 mins: Nuno Espirito Santo has seen enough. He goes to the bench to try and inject some life into his team.
Ryan Yates and Danilo come on to replace Anthony Elanga and Nicolas Dominguez.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:46 , Mike Jones
60 mins: An hour gone at the City Ground and still no goals. Has this one got 0-0 written all over it? Perhaps.
Possession dominance from Arsenal isn’t translating into a huge amount of chances.
Forest have been under pressure in this second half though and haven’t had a response in their opposition’s final third.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:43 , Mike Jones
57 mins: Nearly! A third corner in quick succession is floated on the head of Kieran Tierney who turns the ball just wide of the near post.
It was inches away from breaking the deadlock.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:41 , Mike Jones
54 mins: Arsenal are looking to push on now. Martin Odegaard is on set piece duties this time but Forest deal with the danger without too much trouble.
The Gunners recover possession though and quickly come at the hosts again.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:38 , Mike Jones
51 mins: Declan Rice swings in a corner kick and there’s some trouble for Forest!
Save! Merino makes a late run and leaps onto the ball. He nods it at the goal but a sharp reflex save from Matz Sels palms the ball away.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:36 , Mike Jones
48 mins: Forest have come out with a more positive focus in this half. They’re probing at Tierney’s side of the pitch but the Scot is a recognised left-back and is up to the task of repelling them.
Second half! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:33 , Mike Jones
Arsenal get the match back underway. Mikel Arteta has made at change at the break with Kieran Tierney replacing Riccardo Calafiori.
HT Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:27 , Mike Jones
As things stand, Arsenal will remain second in the table but they’re at risk of falling further behind Liverpool.
They need to find a goal from somewhere to keep their title hopes alive.
HT Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:22 , Mike Jones
Half-time! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:16 , Mike Jones
45+1 mins: A fairly even first half comes to a close with no goals. Arsenal have had more possession and have threatened on a couple of occasions.
Forest have looked to use their wide men to get in behind. Sometimes it worked, more often it didn’t.
All to play for in the second half.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:12 , Mike Jones
42 mins: That is gorgeous. A little spin inside the box from Ethan Nwaneri sees the teenager with a sight at goal.
He’s closed down quickly and can’t get the shot away but Arsenal do win a corner.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:09 , Mike Jones
39 mins: Gibbs-White shakes off a challenge on the inside right and shoots from the edge of the box. The ball deflects off the nearest defender and softly floats into the arms of David Raya.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:07 , Mike Jones
36 mins: Hudson-Odoi knows he’s get the beating of Calafiori. Any chance he gets he drives at the left-back and sweeps past him.
An early cross comes into the box but William Saliba handles it without too much trouble.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:05 , Mike Jones
33 mins: Elliot Anderson fouls Merino just outside the Forest penalty area and this is a good opportunity for the Gunners.
Whose going to take it? Martin Odegaard is the only one over the ball.
He curls it into the box but a bit of argy-bargy sees Neco Williams win a free kick for the hosts.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 20:01 , Mike Jones
30 mins: Forest are playing for the counter attack and hoping the pace of their wingers can get them forward.
Arsenal have done well to keep them at bay but they themselves aren’t creating much.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:59 , Mike Jones
27 mins: A nicely worked move between Gabriel and Merino sees Arsenal get the ball up to the left edge of the box.
Merino slots it across to Calafiori who wants to shoot again but loses possession to Nikola Milenkovic this time.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:54 , Mike Jones
24 mins: Post! Calafiori gets forward and cuts inside after receiving the ball.
He unleashes a decent strike, wrong foots the goalkeeper and rattles the far post!
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:53 , Mike Jones
21 mins: Penalty shout!
Hudson-Odoi skips around Calafiori and drives into the penalty area.
There’s a slight nudge and a clip as the winger goes to ground.
Is it enough contact for a penalty? Not according to the referee.
Replays show it would have been a soft one, not that the Forest fans care.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:50 , Mike Jones
18 mins: Rice lifts a free kick into the penalty and almost finds Calafiori.
The ball skims over his head and, behind him, Leandro Trossard is beaten in the air allowing Forest to clear their lines.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:46 , Mike Jones
15 mins: It’s end-to-end stuff at present as Arsenal are forced out of Forest’s final third before some last ditch defending sees Wood tackled on the edge of the Arsenal box.
The latest effort comes from Declan Rice whose shot from range is deflected out for a corner.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:41 , Mike Jones
12 mins: Chance!
Morgan Gibbs-White drifts over to the right side of the pitch and spins with the ball. He floats a cross into the middle where Chris Wood brings it down on the edge of the box.
Wood shifts to the right and shoots but his effort is blocked.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:39 , Mike Jones
9 mins: Arsenal are starting to string things together. They’re seeing more possession and have pushed into the final third.
A cross is turned away and Anthony Elanga sprints forward on the counter attack before running out of options up against Arsenal’s back line.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:36 , Mike Jones
6 mins: Arsenal win a corner that gets cleared out of the penalty area.
The Gunners recycle the ball and Mikel Merino leaps to win the header.
Chris Wood collides with him and clips him on the chin. The striker stays down but the referee lets play go on.
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:33 , Mike Jones
3 mins: Callum Hudson-Odoi receives the ball on the right wing and nudges it past the defender.
Riccardo Calafiori grabs the winger and drags him back as Hudson-Odoi looks to sprint in behind.
It’s an early yellow card for the Arsenal left-back.
Kick off! Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:31 , Mike Jones
Forest get the ball rolling at The City Ground and send it back to Matz Sels. The ball is booted over to the left wing and the hosts switch the play.
They don’t get far and Arsenal’s solid defence forces them back.
Forest vs Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:26 , Mike Jones
The players make their way out onto the pitch at the City Ground.
Arsenal’s title chances will more or less be over if they don’t win tonight.
Forest want to secure their place in the top four and beating Arsenal will go a long way to doing so.
Kick off is up next…
Forest vs Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:25 , Mike Jones
Arsenal won this exact fixture 2-1 last season, but haven’t won consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest since a run of four between 1987 and 1990.
Forest vs Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:20 , Mike Jones
Nottingham Forest have lost seven of their last eight Premier League games against Arsenal, with the exception being a 1-0 home win in May 2023.
Arsenal’s remaining Premier League fixtures
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:15 , Chris Wilson
Here’s a rundown of Arsenal’s remaining fixtures as they look to hunt down Liverpool:
Nottingham Forest (A) – 26 February
Manchester United (A) – 9 March
Chelsea (H) – 16 March
Fulham (H) – 1 April
Everton (A) – 5 April
Brentford (H) – 12 April
Ipswich (A) – 19 April
Crystal Palace (H) – 26 April
Bournemouth (H) – 3 May
Liverpool (A) – 10 May
Newcastle (H) – 18 May
Southampton (A) – 25 May
When can Liverpool win the Premier League title?
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:10 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool’s statement 2-0 win over Manchester City at the weekend has been hailed in some corners as the win that essentially wrapped up the 2024/25 Premier League title.
The result extended the Reds’ lead at the top of the league to 11 points with 11 games left to play, and though Arsenal have a game in hand, it does not look like Arne Slot’s side – who have lost just once all season – will relinquish such a sizeable lead.
The Reds need just 26 points out of a possible 33, with Arsenal only able to obtain a maximum of 89 points – if they were to win all of their remaining 12 games, that is.
When can Liverpool win the Premier League title?
Match facts
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:05 , Chris Wilson
Forest have lost seven of their last eight Premier League games against Arsenal, with the exception being a 1-0 home win in May 2023.
Arsenal won this exact fixture 2-1 last season, but haven’t won consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest since a run of four between 1987 and 1990.
Gary Neville slams ‘rigid’ Arsenal over set-piece ‘obsession’
Wednesday 26 February 2025 19:00 , Chris Wilson
Gary Neville has claimed Arsenal’s “obsession” with set-pieces has cost the club in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday and are now 11 points behind Liverpool after their victory over Manchester City.
Neville, who had the Gunners as his favourite to win the title at the start of the season, also said Arsenal had paid the price for not strengthening their squad in January.
Gary Neville slams ‘rigid’ Arsenal over set-piece ‘obsession’
Head-to-head
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:55 , Chris Wilson
These two sides have met 97 times previously, with Arsenal winning 49 times, Forest winning 28 and 20 ending as draws.
Last season, the Gunners won both meetings 2-1, while they also eased to a 3-0 win over Forest at the Emirates in November.
Arsenal ‘deserve’ to feel pain as West Ham deal huge title race blow
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:50 , Chris Wilson
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal “deserve” to feel the “pain” of their defeat to West Ham United as the Gunners suffered a huge blow to their Premier League title hopes.
Jarrod Bowen’s goal on the stroke of half-time was followed by Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card in the second half as Arsenal landed just two shots on target in the 1-0 defeat.
The Gunners lacked creativity and threat with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli still unavailable due to injury and Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out for the season. Makeshift forward Mikel Merino was unable to replicate his impact in last week’s 2-0 win at Leicester and it leaves Arsenal eight points behind leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal ‘deserve’ to feel pain as West Ham deal huge title race blow
Forest chase Champions League football
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:45 , Chris Wilson
Nottingham forest have been one of the season’s surprise packages so far, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side sitting in third, three points above fourth-placed Manchester City.
And while a title charge proved a bridge too far for Forest, the club is in a brilliant position to earn a spot in the top four with 12 games to go.
Nuno’s men have a three-point advantage over their nearest challengers, though it will be a close run-in with City, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Villa all fighting for a place.
And even with fifth place likely getting a qualification spot, things will still be tight at the top.
Forest also have a number of key fixtures coming up, with matches against City and Villa to come before they welcome Chelsea to the City Ground in the final game of the season.
Arsenal’s title challenge in tatters as West Ham claim away win
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:40 , Chris Wilson
The report from last week’s game…
Ten-man Arsenal’s Premier League title bid was dealt a major blow after they suffered a torrid 1-0 defeat against West Ham at the Emirates.
Jarrod Bowen scored what would prove to be the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time before Gunners substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off with 18 minutes remaining.
Even prior to Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal – upgraded from a yellow card following a VAR intervention after the teenager denied Mohammed Kudus a clear scoring opportunity – Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker during last month’s transfer window had been brutally exposed.
Arsenal’s title challenge in tatters as West Ham claim away win
Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu out for rest of season after knee surgery
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:35 , Chris Wilson
Arsenal have confirmed that defender Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the rest of the season following surgery on his right knee.
Tomiyasu, 26, has featured just once this term following the injury, which he sustained prior to the campaign starting.
And the Gunners revealed the Japan international will now face an extended period on the sidelines.
Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu out for rest of season after knee surgery
Arsenal line-up to face Nottingham Forest
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:18 , Mike Jones
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
🟣 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🔵
One change from last time out – Jorginho replaces Partey.
Let’s give it everything we’ve got, Gunners 👊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 26, 2025
Nottingham Forest line-up to face Arsenal
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:16 , Mike Jones
Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Dominguez, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Team news
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:10 , Chris Wilson
The line-ups should be released in around five minutes, so here’s a quick reminder of the early team news.
For Forest, there were no new concerns after the loss to Newcastle, with Taiwo Awoniyi having returned.
For Arsenal, Miles Lewis-Skelly will miss this match as he serves the first match of his suspension for a red card against West Ham.
Ethan Nwaneri should be fit despite coming off against West Ham, while Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka will remain out for the near future.
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu are the long-term absentees.
Prediction
Wednesday 26 February 2025 18:00 , Chris Wilson
Despite Arsenal’s recent woes in front of goal, Forest’s loss to Newcastle demonstrates that they can leak goals. If Arsenal’s defence can remain firm, they should have enough to return to the capital with three points.
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal.
Predicted line-ups
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:50 , Chris Wilson
Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard.
Team news
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:45 , Chris Wilson
For Forest, there were no new concerns after the loss to Newcastle, with Taiwo Awoniyi having returned.
Carlos Miguel is currently the only long-term absentee.
Team news
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:40 , Chris Wilson
For Arsenal, Miles Lewis-Skelly will miss this match as he serves the first match of his suspension for a red card against West Ham.
There was concern surrounding Ethan Nwaneri when he was taken off against West Ham, though Arteta later said that he thought it was “just fatigue”.
Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are both nearing a return, with the Brazilian slightly ahead in his recovery.
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain the long-term absentees.
Is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal on TV?
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:35 , Chris Wilson
When is Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal?
The match kicks off at 7.30pm GMT on Wednesday, 26 February at the City Ground in Nottingham.
How can I watch the match?
The match will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 6.30pm. Subscribers can also watch online or on the discovery+ app.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal LIVE
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:25 , Chris Wilson
Nottingham Forest face Arsenal at the City Ground tonight as second takes on third in the Premier League.
The Gunners remain the main threat to Liverpool at the top of the table, though Mikel Arteta’s side trail the Reds by 11 points with 12 games left to play.
And tonight they face a Nottingham Forest side that have been the league’s surprise package so far, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men currently sitting six points behind Arsenal in third.
While the title is off the cards for Forest, three points today would help cement a position in the top four as the club hunt a return to the European Cup, with a win helping them to stay at least three points ahead of Manchester City in fourth.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal LIVE
Wednesday 26 February 2025 17:14 , Chris Wilson
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
The Gunners are looking to close the 11-point gap on Liverpool, while Forest are hoping for three points that would consolidate their bid for third place and Champions League football.
We’ll have all the latest build-up, team news and updates right here.
Read the full article here
