AFCON 2025
Ange Postecoglou faced a difficult start to his tenure as Nottingham Forest’s head coach, as his side fell to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against Arsenal.
A perfect afternoon's work at Emirates Stadium 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DZqJF9ji25
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 13, 2025
Having won just three of their last eleven Premier League games, Forest struggled to adapt to the new manager’s philosophy and were distinctly second-best throughout the match.
Despite Arsenal dominating possession in the first half, clear-cut chances were scarce. The momentum of both teams was stunted by early injuries to Gunners captain Martin Odegaard and Forest defender Murillo.
However, a moment of magic separated the two sides at halftime when Martín Zubimendi scored a stunning volley from outside the box to give Arsenal the lead.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the second half, with Viktor Gyökeres sweeping home a close-range cross from Eberechi Eze less than a minute after the restart.
While Forest almost pulled a goal back fortuitously when a deflected cross hit the crossbar, they appeared to lose belief and were unable to mount any sustained pressure.
Zubimendi added a late header to put extra gloss on the scoreline, sealing a perfect response for Arsenal after their recent loss to Liverpool. For Nottingham Forest, this marked a second consecutive 3-0 defeat, leaving Postecoglou with significant work to do to turn the team’s fortunes around.
