RismadarVoice Reporters
October 18, 2026
Noni Madueke emerged as Arsenal’s match-winner on Sunday, scoring a late goal to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground and keep the Gunners within three points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.
The England international, introduced at halftime by manager Mikel Arteta, broke the deadlock in the 80th minute when his powerful effort deflected off Forest defender Jair Cunha and beat goalkeeper Matz Sels.
The victory extended Arsenal’s winning run to three matches across competitions and strengthened their pursuit of a second consecutive Premier League title.
Despite securing maximum points, Arsenal endured a frustrating afternoon against a disciplined Forest side that restricted their attacking opportunities and prevented them from registering a shot on target for much of the encounter.
The visitors entered the match under pressure after Manchester City defeated Ipswich Town 3-2 on Saturday, extending their advantage at the top of the standings.
Arsenal, however, responded with another narrow victory, demonstrating the resilience that has characterised their recent performances.
ARSENAL STRUGGLE TO BREAK DOWN FOREST
The opening stages were closely contested, with Arsenal dominating periods of possession but struggling to penetrate Forest’s organised defensive structure.
Bukayo Saka threatened from the right flank, delivering a dangerous cross that forced goalkeeper Sels into action.
Forest also created opportunities, with Dan Ndoye testing Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya as the hosts looked to exploit spaces in the visitors’ defence.
Kai Havertz came close to opening the scoring after receiving a pass from Martin Ødegaard, but the German forward struck the side netting from a difficult angle.
With Arsenal unable to establish their usual attacking rhythm, Arteta made a tactical adjustment at halftime, replacing Eberechi Eze with Madueke.
The substitution initially failed to produce an immediate breakthrough as Forest continued to frustrate the visitors.
Liam Delap threatened for the hosts, while Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães headed over from a Declan Rice corner.
Arteta subsequently introduced Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyökeres and Jurriën Timber in an attempt to increase Arsenal’s attacking intensity.
Despite those changes, the Gunners struggled to create clear opportunities, with Rice also sending an effort over the crossbar.
MADUEKE DELIVERS LATE BREAKTHROUGH
Arsenal finally found the decisive goal with 10 minutes remaining.
Madueke received the ball on the left, moved into a shooting position and struck an effort that took a significant deflection off Cunha, leaving Sels unable to prevent it from entering the net.
The goal came from Arsenal’s only shot on target, underlining the difficulty they experienced against Forest’s defence.
The hosts attempted to respond in the closing stages, with Murillo sending a powerful effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Arsenal’s defenders remained organised under pressure, protecting their slender advantage until the final whistle.
The result represented another disappointing home outing for Forest, whose struggles in front of goal have contributed to their difficult start to the season.
Manager Oliver Glasner faces mounting pressure to improve results, particularly as the club continues to battle near the relegation places.
ARSENAL TURN ATTENTION TO BAYERN MUNICH
For Arsenal, the victory provided an important boost ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.
Arteta’s side have now won six of their seven league matches since suffering a 3-0 defeat to Brighton in September.
Although questions remain about their attacking fluency, the Gunners have continued to secure victories through disciplined defending and decisive individual contributions.
Arsenal will next face Bayern Munich away in the Champions League on Wednesday before returning to domestic action against Everton.
The victory keeps Arsenal firmly in contention at the top of the Premier League, with Madueke’s late intervention ensuring they remain within striking distance of Manchester City.
