Nottingham Forest 1-0 Arsenal (Awoniyi 19‘)
CITY GROUND — No prizes if you saw this one coming. One team were fighting for their lives, the other knew the inevitable was happening win, lose or draw, and in the end a gutsy Nottingham Forest victory over Arsenal confirmed three things.
Manchester City are champions. Arsenal will be runners-up. And Nottingham Forest are safe – assured of Premier League football next season with a game to spare.
The home fans inside this stadium will look back on this day fondly, as lucrative a win as any, but for the travelling Arsenal supporters it will be a journey back down south not cursing Saturday’s result but instead the missed opportunities that came before it.
They exceeded expectations and fell short, but Champions League football is on the way to the Emirates. Eventually, that will sink in, but the manner of how Arsenal handed the title to City will sting for weeks to come. This day, however, while confirming City are one-third of the way towards a remarkable treble, belongs to Forest.
Forest signed players by the lorryload after promotion via the play-offs, were backed to go down, and boldly stuck by Steve Cooper earlier in the season, and now that decision has been rewarded, for despite being as low as 19th last month, they can watch the scrap unfold below them next Sunday knowing their status is secure.
Premier League table
The beer gardens were overflowing outside a sunny City Ground and ahead of kick-off the outlook was made brighter by the Everton score despite Yerry Mina’s last-gasp equaliser at Wolves.
That was because an Everton draw meant Forest knew victory would be enough to stay up with a game to spare, and this concoction made for a raucous atmosphere inside the ground.
Digs were sent Arsenal’s way over their lack of a European Cup, and also for losing their lead in this title race, and the atmosphere went up a notch after 19 minutes when Taiwo Awoniyi bundled in the opener for the hosts.
A poor pass from Martin Odegaard gifted Forest possession, and Morgan Gibbs-White then picked out Awoniyi, who got the rub of the green when Gabriel’s sliding challenge resulted in the ball ricocheting off his leg and past Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal slightly improved but were wasteful when Gabriel Jesus fired over and Leandro Trossard sent his first-time attempt wide.
A possession tally that at one point reached 83 per cent in Arsenal’s favour ended on 81 per cent come the half-time whistle, but the Gunners had simply nothing to show for it as Forest fans toasted a job half-done – the guarantee of Premier League football next season just 45 minutes away.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal player ratings
Nottingham Forest: Navas 7; Worrall 6, Felipe 7, Niakhate 7; Aurier 7, Mangala 6, Yates 7, Lodi 7, Gibbs-White 8, Danilo 7, Awoniyi 7. Subs: Kouyate 6, Johnson 6, Boly 6.
Arsenal: Ramsdale 6, White 6, Kiwior 5, Gabriel 5, Xhaka 5, Jorginho 6, Partey 5, Odegaard 5, Saka 6, Trossard 5, Jesus 5. Subs: Tierney 6, Nketiah 6, Viera 6.
After the break, Gabriel Jesus felt as though he should have had a penalty when going down inside the area, but instead his protests led to a yellow card.
Changes were made by Mikel Arteta, Kieran Tierney and Eddie Nketiah replacing Jakub Kiwior and Granit Xhaka, but there was little impetus on the pitch in their push for an equaliser.
Gibbs-White then perhaps should have done better for Forest, but when looking for the near post his effort found the side netting midway through the second half.
Arsenal continued to dominate possession without creating any chances of note, while Forest edged towards another home victory – their form here having essentially saved them from relegation after picking up just seven points on the road.
And as you would expect, the full-time whistle was met with a roar that could be heard beyond the Midlands. An eighth home win of the season makes it 30 points picked up at the City Ground, and with the 12th man more than playing their part, the reward is another season of anxiety-inducing Premier League football.
For Arsenal, meanwhile, it confirmed what they basically already knew. Second to City, a 19-year wait extended, but the promise of Champions League football. Now the focus will be on summer recruitment to make sure this season’s efforts are not a one-off. Sure, it will hurt now, but Mikel Arteta must galvanise his squad and make sure they can somehow bounce back – there’s no time to wallow in the Premier League.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/ljRsCSk
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