Arsenal missed a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table in a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest, hampered by a pre-match injury “niggle” to Bukayo Saka and an ineffective performance from Viktor Gyokeres.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has confirmed a fresh fitness blow to Bukayo Saka following a frustrating 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest that left the Premier League leaders seven points clear but searching for answers.
The England winger was surprisingly dropped to the bench in favor of Noni Madueke, with Arteta later clarifying that “Bukayo had a lot of minutes and he had a niggle before the game so we need to manage our players.”
While Saka’s second-half introduction nearly broke the deadlock, the spotlight also fell on summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who struggled significantly against Forest’s physical defense and failed to win a single duel before being substituted in the 57th minute.
Addressing the lack of cutting edge, Arteta hinted at a growing frustration with his forward line, stating, “Obviously we want the players to be decisive at this level because we need them to score goals… we haven’t managed to take that and that’s everybody’s responsibility.”
With a massive Champions League clash against Inter Milan and a league fixture against Manchester United looming, the Gunners must now balance squad rotation with a sudden lack of momentum in the final third.