Nottingham Forest suffered an afternoon to forget at the Emirates Stadium as they were toppled 5-0 by Arsenal.
The Reds got off to the worst possible start in the capital as Arsenal opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock. Gabriel Martinelli headed in a whipped cross from Bukayo Saka to put the hosts in front.
And it was almost 2-0 two minutes later; Gabriel Jesus bending an effort inches off target from the edge of the area. With the hosts dominating possession and looking dangerous whenever they pushed forward, it threatened to be a long afternoon for Forest.
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Remo Freuler stung the palms of Aaron Ramsdale before the 10-minute mark, and the Reds did eventually settle. It took a clearance off the line by Renan Lodi to prevent Martinelli getting his second of the afternoon, however.
Still, the visitors grew into the game and had some decent spells of possession toward the end of the first half, with Jesse Lingard twice getting into a good position. On the first occasion, a wayward effort was well wide, then Ben White produced an important block to deny him from close range just before the break.
Forest were still in the game at half-time. But just as in the first period, they were punished for making a slow start to the second half. Reiss Nelson doubled the Gunners’ lead four minutes in, and from there, the visitors collapsed.
Nelson got his second, while Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard also got on the scoresheet to round off a miserable afternoon for Steve Cooper’s side.
Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the Emirates Stadium.
Dean Henderson: Barely had a save to make in the first half. Made a couple of decent stops after the break to help keep the score down, but some sloppy goals conceded. Rating: 4.5/10
Serge Aurier: A pretty solid first half as the Reds generally dealt well with coming under pressure. The second half was a capitulation, however. Rating: 5.5/10
Steve Cook: Punished for letting Martinelli get in front of him for the opener. A slow start proved costly again in the second half, and then it became damage limitation. Rating: 4.5/10
Scott McKenna: Did okay before the break, but it was another second half horror show for the whole team. Turned into a miserable afternoon all round. Rating: 4.5/10
Renan Lodi: Back in the starting XI, presumably as Steve Cooper wanted a natural left-footer in the back line. Arsenal were rampant down that flank, though. Rating: 4/10
Cheikhou Kouyate: A completely different performance to last weekend against Liverpool. Didn’t have the same kind of intensity - a statement which applied to the whole side. Rating: 4.5/10
Ryan Yates: Guilty of a sloppy pass which led to the first goal. Never afraid of going in where it hurts, but the second half was far too easy for the hosts. Rating: 5/10
Remo Freuler: Had grown into the game in the first half. Like most of his teammates, however, the second half was a different story. Rating: 5/10
Morgan Gibbs-White: A few bright moments at the end of the first half, but guilty of giving the ball away cheaply, too - not that he was alone on that front. Rating: 5/10
Taiwo Awoniyi: Didn’t get a lot of service for a long spell in the first half as Forest saw little of the ball. Needed to make it stick better when he did get it. Rating: 5/10
Jesse Lingard: Got to take your chances in games like this - and they don’t come better than the one just before the break. A big opportunity missed, and a case of what might have been. Rating: 5/10
SUBSTITUTES
Brennan Johnson (for Gibbs-White, 56mins): Offered an outlet and did try to run at the Gunners when he got the chance. Rating: 6/10
Emmanuel Dennis (for Lingard, 65mins): Made a difference when he came on, but was too late by that point. Rating: 6/10
Neco Williams (for Lodi, 64mins): Could feel a little hard done by to have been left out of the XI, and did try to get stuck in. Looked sharp at least, and tested the keeper late on. Rating: 6/10
Joe Worrall (for Awoniyi, 64mins): Not a great deal he could do to alter the game, as it was already well and truly done. Some positive forward passes, though. Rating: 6/10
Lewis O’Brien (for Kouyate, 81mins): Good to see the midfielder back involved, even though he came on in difficult circumstances. Rating: 6/10
Not used: Hennessey, Boly, Mangala, Surridge.
Who was your Forest man of the match? Have your say in the comments below
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