Forget Viktor Gyokeres, Mikel Arteta must axe Arsenal dud to win Premier League after Nottingham Forest draw
Mikel Arteta’s side missed the chance to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table as Arsenal were held by Nottingham Forest.
Man City lost 2-0 to Man United in a shock result at Old Trafford, allowing the Gunners a perfect chance to move closer to silverware for the first time since lifting the FA Cup in 2020.
After the Manchester derby, Pep Guardiola has been tipped to leave Man City before their next game, showing just how much pressure is riding on the upcoming fixtures for both teams.
It would have been the ideal time for the North London side to strike on Saturday, 17 January, but Sean Dyche set up his team brilliantly to frustrate the current league leaders.
Viktor Gyokeres made to look stupid at the City Ground
Having been hooked after just 57 minutes at the City Ground, Arsenal fans destroyed Viktor Gyokeres, who was ultimately ineffective during the goalless draw away from home.
Even when running in-behind Forest’s defence, he was outrun, outperformed, and completely marked out of the game, touching the ball just 10 times before being replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
Everything could have been different had Ola Aina been punished for a late penalty, but it was not to be, and the visitors were forced to settle for a point on the road.
Watching the game unfold, there are clearly still weaknesses in the squad, and with Arteta refusing to give Eberechi Eze much game time, Martin Odegaard has come back into the starting lineup.
Martin Odegaard flops again vs Nottingham Forest
However, after just 57 minutes, the Norwegian international was replaced, and his lack of creative edge in games is becoming a rather worrying trend for the Gunners.
Sure, Gyokeres was almost invisible against Forest, but had Odegaard been able to create more in the middle of the park, it might have been a completely different story.
The playmaker created just one chance, with zero shots taken, while also failing to complete a dribble, as well as losing 50 per cent of his ground duels [FotMob].
A lot has been made about the team’s lack of goals from open play, and should their goals from set-pieces dry up, it could be the difference between first and second place this season.