Arsenal's title push back on track after victory against Forest as Wolves grab vital win

Saka, Partey and teenager Nwaneri hand Gunners 3-0 triumph at Emirates Stadium

Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal scores his team's third goal against Nottingham Forest in the 3-0 Premier League win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Getty Images

Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri celebrates after scoring his side's third. AP

Arsenal's Thomas Partey celebrates with Mikel Merino after scoring their second against Nottingham Forest. PA

Thomas Partey of Arsenal scores his team's second goal. Getty Images

Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels fails to stop Arsenal's Thomas Partey from scoring their second goal. PA

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, second right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal. Getty Images

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal, second left, scores his team's first goal. Getty Images

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya celebrates Bukayo Saka's opening goal. Getty Images

Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels punches clear. AFP

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus battles for the ball with Nottingham Forest's James Ward-Prowse. AP

Arsenal got their Premier League campaign back on track as they brushed aside Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The win came thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and a first league goal for Ethan Nwaneri.

After four matches without a victory that saw the Gunners fall behind in the title race, manager Mikel Arteta was able to celebrate his 250th game in charge a much-needed victory.

Arsenal controlled the game from the kick-off and Saka opened the scoring after 15 minutes, swapping passes with Martin Odegaard at the edge of the area before beating James Ward-Prowse and Alex Moreno and lashing the ball past keeper Matz Sels with his left foot.

Half-time substitute Partey made it two with a long-range after half-time before 17-year-old Nwaneri, who also came on off the bench, added a late third.

Arteta left Declan Rice and Kai Havertz on the bench as he shuffled his pack, and Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since August and proved 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.

On Odegaard's contribution, Arsenal boss Arteta told BBC Match Of The Day: “It's not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when he is playing.

“I think we started really well. The sense I was getting in the last 48 hours after the international break, the boys coming together and were all at it. It was good to see the impact of the substitutes [Thomas Partey – goal; Ethan Nwaneri – goal; Raheem Sterling – assist]. Everyone has to feel important. It was a good afternoon.”

On Nwaneri, he said: “He is the second youngest [Premier League goalscorer] in our history. That's a story in itself. He's brave. You see the reaction of fans and they were singing ‘he's one of our own’. I think we have to put brick by brick and make sure the cement doesn't get dry. Hopefully we can build a beautiful thing with him.”

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton Wanderers made it two wins on the bounce as they fought back to grab three precious points at Fulham and move out of the relegation zone with a 4-1 victory.

The visitors fell behind to an Alex Iwobi goal at Craven Cottage but they replied with two superb goals from Matheus Cunha and strikes from Joao Gomes and Goncalo Guedes.

The result moved Wolves up into 17th in the table and eased some of the pressure on manager Gary O'Neil.

Ten-man Brighton continued their best start to a top-flight season by beating Bournemouth 2-1 thanks to goals from Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma.

Substitute David Brooks grabbed an injury time consolation for the home side after Brighton had to play the final 30 minutes of the game without Carlos Baleba, who was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Milos Kerkez.

Brighton forward Pedro said afterwards: “We lost an important player in the middle of the game. It is a great win, I think we deserved to win and now we move forward.”

The win means Brighton sit in fifth place on 22 points from 12 games and behind Arsenal and Chelsea only on goal difference.

Everton were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford at Goodison Park while Aston Villa and Crystal Palace drew 2-2 at Villa Park.