Madueke's deflected late winner rescues Arsenal at struggling Nottingham Forest

Noni Madueke rescued Arsenal with a deflected winner 10 minutes from time to seal a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, with Mikel Arteta hailing the substitute as a “special character” following a laboured performance from the champions.

Madueke, introduced at half-time, provided the only shot on target of the match as Arsenal ground out their tenth win from eleven competitive games this season. The 24-year-old, recently omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, has responded with a string of decisive contributions.

“Noni, look at me, a smile on my face because he’s a special character,” Arteta said. “He’s someone very much loved in and around the dressing room, the way he connects, talks to people. He’s just a special guy.”

Arteta pointed to an anecdote that illustrated Madueke’s standing in the squad. “I think I saw an interview where they were asking a few of our players, ‘Who would you call if you have a problem?’ And some of them said Noni, which I was surprised by. But I think it’s a massive credit and explains the kind of person that he is.”

The Arsenal manager also acknowledged that his side had been far from their best, but credited their ability to find ways to win. “We knew we wouldn’t score in the first 20, 30 minutes. We weren’t going to face a different Forest because they are extremely well coached. They put a Christmas tree there. There is no space to play. You have to be so neat and tidy.”

For Forest, the defeat continued a deeply troubling run under Oliver Glasner. It was their third 1-0 home loss of the season, and they have now failed to score in five successive home matches across all competitions. Two late chances went begging, and the result leaves them in the relegation zone after seven Premier League games — a third consecutive league defeat.

Glasner, clearly frustrated by the questions surrounding his side’s form, offered a terse assessment. “Five interviews, five times the same question. I think that’s the answer. It feels very harsh, it feels unfair, but we have to accept it that we are missing some bits. Today I think the performance in many parts was really good defensively.”

Arsenal’s win, however unconvincing, keeps them firmly in the title picture, with Arteta’s side demonstrating the resilience that has defined their recent campaigns.