New boys sparkle as Arsenal dominate Forest: Zubimendi at the double in statement win

Arsenal answered the questions left by Anfield with clarity and control, sweeping Nottingham Forest aside 3-0 as a cluster of summer signings took center stage. Martín Zubimendi scored his first Arsenal goals — a thunderous volley from a Noni Madueke corner and a late header — while Eberechi Eze marked his full debut by laying on Viktor Gyokeres’ close‑range second just after half-time.

This was Arteta’s response to the pre-break defeat at Liverpool: an adventurous selection, a suffocating shape, and an attacking edge. Even as captain Martin Ødegaard departed early with another shoulder issue, Arsenal’s rhythm only deepened, with David Raya celebrating his 100th appearance by tipping Chris Wood’s effort onto the bar to preserve a clean sheet — his 42nd for the club.

Madueke’s wing clinic and a volley to treasure

Madueke, starting again on the right with Bukayo Saka sidelined, gave Arsenal thrust and variety. He repeatedly drove at Morato and bent in a stream of teasing corners; from one of them came the opener as Chris Wood’s headed clearance fell to Zubimendi, who lashed home with a nick off Murillo. The Emirates drew a collective gasp at the purity of the strike.

Arsenal’s set-piece threat had been building, with Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurriën Timber all going close. Merino, buoyed by a Spain hat-trick during the break, saw an early effort saved by Matz Sels. The only concern was Ødegaard’s enforced exit, with Ethan Nwaneri stepping in as Arsenal continued to dominate territory and tempo.

Eze’s incision, Gyokeres’ poacher’s touch

Within seconds of the restart, Arsenal found the perfect release. Calafiori went long to Eze on the left — a deliberate change of rhythm from the patient triangles — and the debutant’s low cross was swept in by Gyokeres from close range. It was the kind of penalty-box presence Arsenal have sometimes craved in similar situations.

Forest’s best spell followed, but Raya intervened at 2-0, springing to push Wood’s chest-high deflection onto the bar before Mosquera’s recovery tackle on Callum Hudson-Odoi ended the danger. It preserved the platform for Arsenal to keep playing on their terms, stepping through the gears rather than chasing the game.

Raya’s milestone, Mosquera’s maturity, depth everywhere

Raya’s fingertip stop capped a notable century of Arsenal appearances and another clean sheet. In front of him, Cristhian Mosquera exuded calm in William Saliba’s absence, pairing well with Gabriel and producing that key defensive intervention after the bar was rattled.

Declan Rice came off the bench and nearly slid onto a Timber cross, while Gyokeres crashed a near-post effort off the outside of the upright. These were snapshots of the depth Arteta referenced when he said, “We need two players per position… the standards have raised.” He added of his new starters: “I was really impressed… you can sense new relationships flourishing.”

Zubimendi seals it and the Emirates salutes

Leandro Trossard, on from the bench, delivered from a free-kick and Zubimendi stole between markers to steer in a precise header — the first time he has scored twice in a top-flight club match. It felt both fun and faintly surreal for a player stationed in front of the back four, but it rewarded his assertive positioning all evening.

Madueke departed to a standing ovation with his name cascading around the stadium, a fitting tribute to his relentless performance. On a night when Saka and Saliba were absent and Ødegaard left early, Arsenal still looked strong in every line, with Eze and Gyokeres already finding a shared wavelength.

Statement made, focus forward

Arteta’s team were criticised after the Liverpool loss; here they reasserted control and showcased a front three they had “never played before,” as the manager noted. The combination of ingenuity, set-piece punch, and defensive assurance was precisely the recalibration required.

Now the attention turns to Tuesday’s Champions League date with Athletic Bilbao, an ideal stage to embed those new connections further. With Forest beaten 3-0 and Postecoglou just beginning his work, Arsenal leave with momentum — and the sense that their squad depth is finally matching their ambition.