Match Report By Dr Talal osman

Arsenal missed the chance to go nine points clear at the top of the table as they were frustrated by Nottingham Forest in a 0-0 draw at the City Ground.

The Gunners went into Saturday's late game knowing they had a big opportunity following second-placed Manchester City’s earlier defeat to Manchester United.

Yet the Gunners, like against Liverpool in their previous league outing, were unable to find a way through a well-drilled defence.

On the occasion when they did create a clear opening, Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels was on hand to brilliantly keep out Bukayo Saka’s header.

Arsenal have increased their lead to seven points, but that gap would close to four if third-placed Aston Villa beat Everton on Sunday.

Forest stay 17th, five points above the relegation zone.

How the match unfolded

The visitors spurned two chances in the space of a minute as the half-hour mark approached. First, Aina just beat Declan Rice to a delicious Ben White cross, before Gabriel Martinelli somehow turned wide from point-blank range after meeting a deflected Noni Madueke delivery.

After a clumsy mistake on the halfway line, Murillo did well to prevent Viktor Gyokeres from getting through five minutes before half-time, though Sels was not called into action until the 59th minute, as he kept out Rice’s volley.

Sels pulled off a more impressive stop soon after – Saka’s header seemed destined to find the back of the net, but Forest’s goalkeeper acrobatically lunged to his right to claw it wide.

Sels also bravely smothered Gabriel Jesus’ close-range flick, before Mikel Merino nodded wide from a wonderful Rice free-kick.

Arteta was left frustrated on the touchline as, after a VAR check, a potential handball by Aina was adjudged to have been a natural action.

Another chance missed

With Man City now winless in four league games, Arsenal could have all but finished off the hopes of Pep Guardiola’s team in the title race, but as it is, these back-to-back goalless draws mean the hunt is still very much alive.

Indeed, it may not be City that Arsenal primarily have to worry about, and Arteta will be hoping for a favour from his old manager and former club when David Moyes’ Everton take on Villa.

While Arteta may fume about the decision to clear Aina of any wrongdoing, with the ball having hit the defender’s shoulder before his arm, Arsenal can only really blame themselves for not converting their dominance of the ball into clear chances.

Martinelli squandered a big one before the break; even if he was on the stretch, he should have managed to squeeze his finish between the posts, rather than steering it across the face of goal and wide.

But then they did come up against a goalkeeper in top form, and Arteta, who bemoaned a lack of a “magic moment” against Liverpool, may feel this is the kind of match that only needed one of the fine margins to fall in Arsenal’s favour. It was not to be.

Arsenal are at home next weekend, but a resurgent Man Utd will certainly pose a threat.

Sels stands tall

Sels and David Raya shared the Premier League Golden Glove last season, but while Arsenal’s shot-stopper has had another excellent campaign, that has not been the case for his Forest counterpart.

After a 3-0 defeat to Everton on 6 December, Sean Dyche decided to change things between the sticks, introducing John Victor and dropping Sels to the bench.

Victor got a run of five straight league starts, but then a blunder against Villa earlier this month – an incident in which the Brazilian also sustained an injury – has seen Sels get a second chance.

It is an opportunity that, based on this performance, the Belgian is very keen to take.

His stop from Saka’s header was the standout moment of the match, as Sels adjusted his feet fantastically to leap off in the opposite direction, and then get a strong hand to the looping ball.

Sels showed plenty of bravery to dive in at the feet of Gabriel Jesus to parry that chance wide soon after, and he was the bedrock of the type of solid display that Forest fans will have been expecting under Dyche, and the kind of performance they will need to steer themselves clear of danger.

Forest are on the road next weekend, as they head to London to face Brentford.