The Emirates rose to its feet as soon as it became clear Martin Odegaard would be departing. As all sides stood to applaud Arsenal’s best display in weeks, there was recognition too of the wondrous touches and effortless shimmies that had defined a game. Amid the brilliance from Odegaard, Arsenal realised it is the simple things only he can do that they had missed the most. “When he’s in the team, you can sense something that is different,” said Mikel Arteta. “It’s difficult to put a finger on it, but it’s different.”
Nottingham Forest, who had beaten Liverpool and drawn at Chelsea to arrive at the Emirates level on points with Arsenal, looked second-best throughout and were dismissed 3-0. Arsenal were revitalised with their heartbeat restored, winning in the Premier League for the first time in five games. There was further reason to celebrate as Odegaard marked his first home appearance since August with a dazzling display. After a difficult, “nightmare” autumn that threatened to derail Arsenal’s title challenge, Odegaard helped restore the feelgood factor despite the bite of winter in the air.
And yet the match-winner, leading the way as Arsenal began a crucial run with an important victory, was Bukayo Saka. With a sublime opener and assist for Thomas Partey’s long-range strike to double Arsenal’s lead, Saka returned to his devastating best after four games without a goal, picking up his excellent attacking output from earlier in the season. With Saka and Odegaard in tandem again, all the worries that had gripped Arteta’s team before the international break were washed away.
There was an immediate improvement to Arsenal, a renewed intensity to their attacking movements from the start. The first half was almost an exhibition of what Odegaard provides, and what Arsenal had been without. Arteta was delighted. “We talk about fluidity, understanding, chemistry, timing, he’s one of the best to do that, to manage the tempo of the game, when to slow it down, when to control it,” the manager said.
Saka was just as irresistible. He is a forward capable of winning games on his own but the 23-year-old thoroughly enjoyed the return of his captain on the right of midfield. The instinctive touches and turns from Odegaard, from drifting into the tightest of spaces between Forest’s packed defence, helped unlock the doors for Saka to burst through. Much of Odegaard’s excellence comes from the simple trait of always being on the move while constantly scanning to build a picture of what is around him; from having a shot blocked inside the box, Odegaard drifted again to set up Saka’s sumptuous opener.
Odegaard did not need to look to know Saka would be on the move after the England international brought the ball down with back to goal. The awareness and deft flick from Odegaard, between two Forest defenders, found the trademark inside run from his winger in the penalty box. Saka did the rest, spectacularly. He eased around Nicolas Dominguez, then James Ward-Prowse, then Nikola Milenkovic in a horizontal burst, before thumping the finish past Sels. It was clever from Odegaard, utterly unstoppable from Saka.
The combinations between Saka and Odegaard were a running threat. Forest, whose defence under Nuno Espirito Santo ranked as one of the best in the Premier League before the afternoon, did not know how to deal with Arsenal’s right side and conceded five shots on target before half time. Arsenal did not look like creating from any other avenues, either, other than their brilliant No 7 and No 8. Saka, racing away from Alex Moreno, pulled back to Odegaard, whose shot was hacked clear. Then a stunning turn from Odegaard led to another chance for Saka, with Sels reaching down to keep out his low shot.
Saka was relishing Arsenal’s freedom. His assist for Partey’s long-range curler, to double Arsenal’s lead after the interval, brought his eighth of the Premier League season, as well as the third time he had both scored and assisted in the same game. If the victories over Wolves on the opening day and Southampton in early October came before their more recent troubles, Saka rediscovering those production levels may be symbolic of Arteta’s side getting back on track. Forest have been the Premier League’s surprise package, but there was an efficiency to how Arsenal sent them home. “We came up short in all aspects of the game,” said Nuno. “It was a tough day for us.”
With Odegaard and Saka departing on 82 minutes, to a long, unanimous ovation, Arsenal’s victory was wrapped up moments later. Both replacements combined as Raheem Sterling set up Ethan Nwaneri for the 17-year-old’s first Premier League goal, his fourth of a breakout season. It summed up a redemptive, cleansing afternoon for Arsenal in the cold, driving rain. Suddenly, there are possibilities again. And there is a title race to run.