The English Premier League kicked off in spectacular fashion as Arsenal hosted Nottingham Forest. It was a closely contested match that saw Arsenal take the lead with a goal from Edward Keddar Nketiah at the 26th minute. Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka doubled the lead for Arsenal 6 minutes later, and it looked like the Gunners were going to cruise to their first win of the season. Nottingham Forest had other ideas, however, and managed to pull one back through Taiwo Micheal Awoniyi at 82 minutes. In the end, Arsenal held on to their slender advantage and won 2-1 on Match Day 1 of EPL action!
Line-ups:
Arsenal
Aaron Christopher Ramsdale (rating 6.7)
Thomas Teye Partey (rating 7.3)
Benjamin William White (rating 6.7)
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba (rating 7.3)
Jurriën David Norman Timber (rating 6.9)
Martin Ødegaard (rating 7.2)
Declan Rice (rating 7.7)
Kai Lukas Havertz (rating 7.3)
Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka (rating 8.3)
Edward Keddar Nketiah (rating 7.3)
Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva (rating 6.9)
Nottingham Forest
Matthew Charles Turner (rating 7.5)
Willy-Arnaud Zobo Boly (rating 7)
Joseph Adrian Worrall (rating 6.6)
Scott Fraser McKenna (rating 6.3)
Sèrge Alain Stéphane Aurier (rating 6.7)
Ryan James Yates (rating 6.5)
Orel Johnson Mangala (rating 6.2)
Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina (rating 6.9)
Danilo dos Santos de Oliveira (rating 7)
Brennan Price Johnson (rating 6.3)
Morgan Anthony Gibbs-White (rating 7)
Substitutions:
Arsenal
Takehiro Tomiyasu (Jurriën David Norman Timber, 50)
Leandro Trossard (Edward Keddar Nketiah, 73)
Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães (Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva, 86)
Nottingham Forest
Taiwo Micheal Awoniyi
(Danilo dos Santos de Oliveira, 71)
Neco Shay Williams
(Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina, 72)
Anthony David Junior Elanga
(Brennan Price Johnson, 80)
Christopher Grant Wood
Cheikhou Kouyaté
Ball possession:
Arsenal had a dominant performance against Nottingham Forest, controlling the ball for 79% of the game. They were relentless in their attack, making 15 shots on target and 7 on goal. Declan Rice was particularly active in taking shots, while Nottingham Forest managed 6 shots on target with 2 on goal. Willy-Arnaud Zobo Boly was their most successful player in terms of hitting the target. Unfortunately for Nottingham Forest, Arsenal’s offensive pressure proved too much to handle and they were unable to get a result from this match.
Passes:
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba is a defender for Arsenal who has achieved an impressive pass accuracy of 97%, having attempted 127 passes. Willy-Arnaud Zobo Boly of Nottingham Forest also had a commendable pass accuracy of 77%, with 27 total passes. Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka, also from Arsenal, made three key passes during this match, while Anthony David Junior Elanga from Nottingham Forest made two. It was clear that both teams were well equipped to make effective and accurate passes throughout the game.
Defense:
Arsenal and Nottingham Forest have been defending their goalposts well so far this season. Thomas Teye Partey has been Arsenal’s most successful defender, with 2 interceptions leading the team. Not to be outdone, Neco Shay Williams for Nottingham Forest has come in close second with 2 interceptions of his own. Willy-Arnaud Zobo Boly also made an impressive contribution to Nottingham Forrest’s defense with 1 interception of his own. It looks like both teams are set for a tough defensive battle this season!
Face-to-face:
Kai Lukas Havertz and Danilo dos Santos de Oliveira have demonstrated their competitive spirit and determination to lead their respective teams to victory. Kai Lukas Havertz, of Arsenal, is the leader in face-to-face fights for the ball, with eight such instances. Nottingham Forest’s Danilo dos Santos de Oliveira follows closely behind with seven instances. These numbers demonstrate just how hard these players are working to win games for their teams. With such drive and determination on the field, it’s no wonder they’ve become leaders in their respective squads.
Fouls:
Yellow cards:
- Jurriën David Norman Timber (Arsenal) at 45 minute
- Benjamin William White (Arsenal) at 90 minute
- Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest) at 28 minute
- Orel Johnson Mangala (Nottingham Forest) at 81 minute
The last five games (including this match):
- Arsenal – W
- Nottingham Forest – L
Top 5 English Premier League scorers:
- Erling Braut Haaland (2, Manchester City)
- Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka (1, Arsenal)
- Edward Keddar Nketiah (1, Arsenal)
- Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (1, Manchester City)
- Taiwo Micheal Awoniyi (1, Nottingham Forest)
Next games:
- Arsenal will play with Crystal Palace. August 21 at 19:00 (UTC), on Selhurst Park.
- Nottingham Forest will play with Sheffield Utd. August 18 at 18:45 (UTC), on The City Ground.
