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| HT:0–0 Report | |||||||
| Event | Premier League 2024-25 | ||||||
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| Date | Wednesday 26 February 2025 | ||||||
| Venue | City Ground, Nottingham | ||||||
| Player of the Match | Gabriel | ||||||
| Referee | Andy Madley | ||||||
| Attendance | 30,200 | ||||||
| Weather | 6 °C (43 °F) | ||||||
← Nottm' Forest - Newcastle Arsenal - West Ham Nottm' Forest - Ipswich Arsenal - PSV → | |||||||
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal was a match which took place at City Ground on Wednesday 26 February 2025.
Team News[]
Nottingham Forest[]
Nottingham Forest will assess a couple of unnamed players who are carrying minor injuries. Striker Taiwo Awoniyi was an unused substitute for Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Newcastle United after recovering from concussion.
Arsenal[]
Ethan Nwaneri is available for Arsenal, with his withdrawal during Saturday's loss against West Ham a result of cramp. Ben White made his comeback as a late substitute in that game, but Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are not yet ready to return from hamstring problems.
Match facts[]
Head-to-head[]
- Nottingham Forest have lost seven of the past eight Premier League meetings, with the exception being a 1-0 home victory in May 2023.
- Arsenal could win consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest for the first time since a run of four victories between 1987 and 1990.
Nottingham Forest[]
- Nottingham Forest have lost three of their past four league games, as many as in their previous 16.
- They have conceded two or more goals in five of their six most recent matches in all competitions. It only happened five times in their first 23 fixtures this season.
- However, Forest have won five of their past six Premier League home games, as many as they had in their previous 20.
- They have scored one fifth of their top-flight goals this season from outside the penalty area (nine of 44), the highest ratio in the league.
- Chris Wood has scored five goals in his last three league appearances at the City Ground, including a hat-trick against Brighton last time out.
- Nuno Espirito Santo has lost each of his last three league meetings with Arsenal.
Arsenal[]
- Arsenal's 15-match unbeaten league run was ended by West Ham on Saturday. They've not lost consecutive league games since December 2023.
- The Gunners have gone eight top-flight away fixtures without defeat (W5, D3).
- They are yet to lose a league match this season after scoring the opening goal, winning 12 times and drawing five.
- Mikel Arteta's side have won nine successive Premier League kick-offs at 7pm or later.
- Ethan Nwaneri scored his first Premier League goal in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the reverse fixture. The only player to score home and away goals in the same Premier League season against an opponent before turning 18 is Wayne Rooney versus Arsenal in 2002-03.
Match Report[]
Arsenal's slim title hopes faded further after a frustrating stalemate at Nottingham Forest.
The goalless draw at the City Ground left the Gunners 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, who now look like making the run-in a title procession.
If that is the case, the last few days will be viewed as a sliding doors moment in Arsenal's season following their home defeat to West Ham and dropped points against third-placed Forest.
Pre-game, with the Gunners 11 points behind Liverpool and a game in hand, boss Mikel Arteta vowed to keep fighting - he was unlikely to say anything else - but it is surely now a futile chase after Wednesday's results.
They needed to win at Forest but lacked a cutting edge, despite dominating possession, with their attacking options blunted by injury.
Without the injured Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino were neat and tidy up front but offered no focal point.
The closest Arsenal came was when full-back Riccardo Calafiori's effort bounced off the post and into Matz Sels' arms midway through the first half, before the goalkeeper saved Merino's header soon after the break.
Their control of the ball at least denied Forest the chance to find 18-goal Chris Wood.
When the striker finally got some second-half service, Arsenal keeper David Raya denied him with a good block.
The draw kept alive Forest's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season, sitting six points behind Arsenal and two clear of Chelsea in fifth.
The race for Europe is likely to be the most interesting part of the Premier League's finale.
With Liverpool romping to the title and the battle to avoid relegation a four-way fight, the scramble for places in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League offers intrigue and excitement.
Forest remain at the head of that chase with just six points separating them from Aston Villa in 10th.
They demonstrated their resolve against Arsenal - the first goalless draw in the Premier League at the City Ground since 1998 and deserve their place in the top four after a season where they have defied expectations.
This time last year Forest were 16th and four points clear of the relegation zone, just before being handed a four-point penalty for breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
There is no evidence to suggest Nuno Espirito Santo's side will fall away in their final 11 games and the battling qualities earned a crucial point when Forest were not at their fluid best.
They had conceded eight goals in their previous three games so the clean sheet will also provide a timely lift before Manchester City - a point behind them in fourth spot - arrive next on Saturday 8 March in another pivotal fixture.
Arsenal's title hopes are surely over after they were held, while Liverpool beat Newcastle 2-0 at Anfield to extend their lead at the top.
The Gunners were not good enough, failing to make their dominance count although Arteta can again point to their lack of attacking options due to a crippling injury list as the one mitigating factor.
The arguments will continue over whether Arsenal should, or could, have brought in a striker in January, but they are now too far behind Liverpool for one player to have made enough difference.
Calafiori hit the post and Merino was denied by Forest keeper Sels but Arsenal were toothless where it mattered most.
They face PSV in the Champions League last 16 next week, so they will have to regroup and re-focus quickly as that competition now looks to be their best chance of a trophy this season.
Match[]
Details[]
| 26 February 2025 19:30 BST |
Nottingham Forest 
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0–0 |  Arsenal
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City Ground, Nottingham Attendance: 30,200 Referee: Andy Madley |
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| HT:0–0 Report |
         Nottingham Forest
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     Arsenal
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Match rules
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Match Stats[]
| Nottingham Forest | Arsenal |
|---|
| Possession ball | |
| 35% | 65% |
| Shots | |
| 6 | 13 |
| Shots on target | |
| 2 | 1 |
| Corners | |
| 3 | 11 |
| Fouls | |
| 10 | 17 |
See also[]
External links[]
 Premier League 2024–25
|
| Nottingham Forest F.C. matches - 2024–25 |
| 2024–25 Premier League |
| Arsenal (a) · Arsenal (h) · Manchester City (h) · Ipswich Town (a) · Tottenham Hotspur (a) · Leicester City (h) · Chelsea (h) |
| 2024–25 FA Cup |
| Luton Town (a) · Exeter City (a) · Ipswich Town (h) · Brighton & Hove Albion (a) · Manchester City (n) |
| 2024–25 EFL Cup |
| Newcastle United (h) |
v 
| Arsenal v Nottingham Forest |
| Premier League |
| 2022–23 (h) · 2022–23 (a) · 2023–24 (h) · 2023–24 (a) · 2024–25 (h) · 2024–25 (a) · 2025–26 (h) · 2025–26 (a) · |
| FA Cup |
| 2017–18 (a) · 2021–22 (a) · |
| EFL Cup |
| 2016–17 (a) · 2019–20 (h) · |