Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a victory against Nottingham Forest.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were rocked by Arsenal at the Emirates, seeing Forest suffer a 3-0 defeat.
Mikel Arteta was overjoyed with his side’s win in what was a must-win environment heading into the contest.
The day was made even more celebratory as Ethan Nwaneri scored his first Premier League goal, becoming the second-youngest Gunner in history to find the net in the competition.
Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka wow Alan Shearer
While Nwaneri will earn high praise for his goalscoring cameo, there were two other players who really impressed during the win.
Arteta was blown away by Martin Odegaard’s performance against Forest as the Gunners captain played an integral role in the victory.
The same went for Bukayo Saka, who found the net in sublime style however, it wasn’t his goal that earned applause from Alan Shearer.
Analysing Arsenal’s win on BBC Match of the Day, Shearer spent some time dissecting Odegaard and Saka’s connection.
“So much of Arsenal’s good play came from the right hand side, particularly with the understanding and connection between those two [Saka and Odegaard].
“They’re telepathic at times, the understanding of when to run, how to run and which pass to play. They understand each other’s game so well and really enjoy playing together.”
Shearer went on to predict what the Arsenal captain thinks when he’s on the ball, as well as detailing just how his presence helps Saka.
“You just get this feeling that when Odegaard gets the ball, his first thought is, ‘Where’s Saka’.
“What Odegaard does is, he takes two or three defenders towards him which leaves Saka 1v1 instead of defenders doubling up on him and you fancy him most of the time in that situation.”
Odegaard and Saka were crucial to Arsenal vs Forest
Saka’s goal against Nottingham Forest epitomised the connection between himself and Odegaard, as the Norwegian set up the winger’s chance.
While the finish was all thanks to the 23-year-old’s conviction, the chance wouldn’t have been sculpted without Arsenal’s architect.
| Martin Odegaard | Bukayo Saka | |
| Pass completion % | 90% | 90% |
| Key passes | 6 | 4 |
| Completed dribbles | 3 | 2 |
| Duels won | 4 | 4 |
Having both players fit has been a rare thing for Arteta, which has undoubtedly impacted the Gunners’ form so far this term.
Arsenal’s win over Forest was a statement of what is to come from the squad if their two star players can continue to combine as they did on week 12.
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