Nottingham Forest have beaten Arsenal to secure Premier League survival and to crown Manchester City as champions.
Arsenal dominated possession with a whopping 80% in stark contrast to the Forests 20%. Ultimately, it was Taiwo Awoniyi’s 19th minute strike that proved to be the difference in a game. Both teams failed to fully capitalise on their chances.
Dynamic duo strikes again
Awoniyi has only scored four times in his first 23 Premier League games after joining from Union Berlin. He has experienced a sudden surge in form, coinciding with an impressive run from the former Liverpool striker, Morgan Gibbs-White. There was little surprise as the two linked up to put give Forest the lead. Awoyini now has five goals in his past three games.
Gibbs-White delivered a superbly angled pass into the box and Awoniyi, composed even with Gabriel breathing down his neck, calmly chipped the ball in over a helpless Aaron Ramsdale who was diving to smother.
Forest had other chances to double their lead and Gibbs-white should have sealed the game when he found himself one on one with the Arsenal keeper. His effort went into the side netting much to the relief of a very dejected group of Arsenal supporters.
Arsenal’s title challenge comes to a whimpering halt
Arsenal fans would feel that they should have come away with something at the end of the game and it would be grossly unfair to say it wasn’t deserved.
They dominated possession for most of the game and only some very diligent Forest defending kept them at bay.
But the cutting edge finishing which was key for their title challenge has been sorely missing towards the end of the season. In contrast to the first half of the campaign when they only dropped seven points, they have only managed to collect nine points from a possible twenty four.
Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka had their opportunities, with the former squandering a couple of promising chances, while the latter forced a notable save from Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas in the second half. Frustratingly for Arsenal, Jorginho’s subsequent shot from a corner was deflected over, epitomising their misfortune throughout the evening.
The outcome of the match seemed almost inevitable well before the final whistle, signalling the end of Arsenal’s spirited title charge. Despite their commendable display of possession dominance and persistent attacking efforts, the lack of clinical finishing proved costly for the Gunners. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest’s victory not only secured their Premier League status but also played an unintentional role in Manchester City’s crowning as champions. Celebrations will truly be underway as they host Chelsea Sunday night.