'Really good': What Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said about Nottingham Forest after winning 3-0

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It was a Premier League day to forget for Nottingham Forest as the Reds headed to North London looking to preserve an unbeaten run of form away from the City Ground.

Arsenal can ill-afford any more mistakes in their quest to get back into title contention. As a result, they were bang up for this one and blew Forest away with a devastating display of finishing.

Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri were the goalscorers for the Gunners, leaving Nuno Espirito Santo to bemoan injuries to Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson.

Forest have still made a strong start to the Premier League season. Many pundits have already changed their pre-season predictions, with Gary Lineker calling himself an ‘idiot’ after his Forest prediction from the summer.

The Reds are starting to get a little bit more respect from the rest of the division now. After narrowly avoiding relegation for two successive seasons there is now some hope that improvements can be made during 2024/25.

• READ MORE: Nottingham Forest star really struggled against Arsenal

What Mikel Arteta said about Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal

Forest might not have headed back up the M1 with any points but the team may have a new admirer in the shape of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

The Reds were never really in the contest, with Saka putting the hosts ahead after just 15 minutes and in truth, Arteta was right to suggest that his team should have scored more.

Arteta had some kind words in his press conference for Forest and felt that his team had to be at their very best to despatch the Reds at the Emirates Stadium.

He said in his press conference: “With the 1-0 something else can happen and we missed some good chances.

“But, credit to Forest, they’re a really good side, a constant threat every time they have the ball. They play with really good intent on and off the ball.

“That’s why they’ve done what they’ve done, not losing away from home, we are the first to beat them and that’s for a reason because they’re very good.”

Nottingham Forest next five fixtures

Forest have some extremely tough-looking games coming up on the horizon and it’s important that the team gets back to doing what they’ve been so good at this season.

The Reds have what looks like a very winable game next week against Ipswich at home but then face both Manchester-based clubs in the space of three days away from home.

A tough-run of fixtures might actually be a positive thing for Forest, with no real pressure on the team with plenty of points already on the board for the Reds at this stage of the season.

Espirito Santo will know that things have got to improve and after conceding three goals in two successive games, the training ground will feature plenty of defensive work this week it would seem.