Premier League: Arsenal Dominates Nottingham Forest, Chelsea Held to Late Draw at Brentford
Arsenal showcased a commanding performance on Saturday, securing a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest and climbing to the top of the Premier League table. Meanwhile, Chelsea missed the chance to join them at the summit, conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to draw 2-2 against Brentford.
In his first match as Forest manager, Ange Postecoglou faced a challenging return to the Premier League as Arsenal delivered a ruthless display. After a disappointing loss to Liverpool in their previous outing, Mikel Arteta’s side responded decisively, with Martin Zubimendi emerging as an unlikely hero. The Spanish midfielder, who had a modest goal-scoring record at Real Sociedad, opened the scoring with a stunning volley from outside the box in the 32nd minute.
“Unbelievable from Zubimendi,” praised Arteta. “He’s come into the club and brings a real presence and authority to everything he does on the pitch.”
The Gunners wasted no time extending their lead after halftime, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring just 60 seconds into the second half from an Eberechi Eze cross. Zubimendi then added his second goal of the match, heading in Arsenal’s third to seal a comprehensive win.
In contrast, Chelsea’s encounter with Brentford ended in frustration. The Blues trailed at halftime after Kevin Schade put the Bees ahead. Enzo Maresca’s squad rallied in the second half, with Cole Palmer scoring his first goal from open play since January to level the match. Moises Caicedo then fired Chelsea into the lead, seemingly securing three points.
However, Brentford struck back in stoppage time, with Fabio Carvalho netting the equalizer to deny Chelsea victory in a thrilling finish.
Tottenham Hotspur continued their strong start to the season, beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 at the London Stadium. Pape Sarr opened the scoring just after halftime, and West Ham’s hopes were dashed when Tomas Soucek received a red card shortly after. Lucas Bergvall and Micky Van de Ven added to Spurs’ tally, keeping them in close pursuit of Arsenal on goal difference.
Newcastle United celebrated a successful debut for Nick Woltemade, who scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Wolves. The German striker, signed for a club-record £65 million, made an immediate impact with a powerful header from Jacob Murphy’s cross.
Bournemouth climbed to fourth place with a 2-1 win over Brighton, thanks to Antoine Semenyo’s penalty. Aston Villa remained without a goal this season, managing a goalless draw against Everton. Leeds suffered a late defeat to Fulham, conceding an own goal in the 94th minute to lose 1-0.
