By Andy Sims, PA
Arsenal reignited their title bid in style as stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for Ethan Nwaneri sank Nottingham Forest 3-0.
Mikel Arteta was able to celebrate a much-needed victory in his 250th match in charge of the Gunners after four matches without a win saw them fall off the pace at the top.
Saka shrugged off the injury fears which forced him to withdraw from the England squad to open the scoring with a first-half scorcher, Partey doubled the lead from long range after the break and 17-year-old Nwaneri added a late third as Arsenal got back on track with a swagger.
The Gunners, with Declan Rice and Kai Havertz on the bench as Arteta shuffled his pack, thought they had taken an early lead through Jurrien Timber.
Mikel Merino’s header from a Martin Odegaard free-kick was cleared off the line by Nicolas Dominguez and Timber was on hand to bury the loose ball but, after a lengthy VAR check, Merino was given offside.
However, Arsenal did go ahead in the 15th minute when Saka exchanged passes with Odegaard on the edge of the area.
The England winger continued his run across the box, skipping past James Ward-Prowse and Alex Moreno before lashing a left-footed shot back across Forest keeper Matz Sels into the roof of the net.
Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since August and illustrated just what a huge miss he has been for Arsenal during his two-month injury absence.
Time and time again the Norwegian’s quick feet in the area found space where there was none and he teed up Gabriel Jesus who curled narrowly wide before linking up with Saka again and seeing a low shot cleared off the line by Nikola Milenkovic.
Forest, with in-form striker Chris Wood surprisingly left kicking his heels on the bench for an hour, had just one opportunity in the first half with Ryan Yates heading Ward-Prowse’s cross over the top.
So dominant were the Gunners that they should have been out of sight by half-time but Sels kept out fierce drives saved from Leandro Trossard and Saka before the break to keep the visitors in the contest.
However, that lasted just seven minutes of the second half before Partey, on as a half-time substitute, collected Saka’s pass 20 yards out and took a touch before curling his shot away from the dive of Sels and inside the far post.
Nwaneri almost made an instant impact after climbing off the bench but his teasing run ended with a shot which drifted just wide.
No matter, as with four minutes left the exciting youngster tucked away Raheem Sterling’s cutback to wrap up an emphatic win and signal that the Gunners are still firmly in the title hunt.
