Nwaneri scores first league goal as Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest | Premier League

It was the first day of the rest of their season. After a spotty start to the campaign, littered with red cards and concussions, double saves and needlessly dropped points, what Arsenal needed more than anything else was a straightforward win.

It is in the routine kick-offs from Saturday at 15 as much as in the live televised matches, and in victories ticked off, almost without incident, far more than in the great energy consumption that championships are decided. Arsenal may not be challenging for the title come May, but this was finally a performance and a result that allowed them to believe they might still be able to recover from a run of two points from their previous four games.

Although Bukayo Saka scored the opening goal and was a constant threat down the right, it was Martin Ødegaard’s presence in midfield that was key. There had been a greater fluidity when he returned in the draw for Chelsea before the international break – before Arsenal’s recent knack for sloppiness cost them a win – and the sense that the Norwegian brings coherence, that he is the big oiler of their midfield and striker . line, was repeated.

Not that this was a return to what could be considered a first team – as much as any team has such a thing these days – with Kai Havertz left out of a league game for the first time since January, Ben White absent due to his knee injury and Declan Rice restricted to the bench with a toe injury. Teams are also crucial to winning titles.

Ødegaard is a diligent captain who always points and guides. He runs the press. He has a wonderful left foot. But most of all, he has the awareness and technical ability to play the kind of deft passing and incisive one-twos that allow Arsenal to flow; his injury problems have certainly been the main reason why Arsenal’s xG created this season has been almost 25% lower than last. Saka in particular was energized by their partnership on the right, even without White’s overlaps. It was that connection that brought the first goal, a clever exchange that created space for Saka to skip past Álex Moreno and James Ward-Prowse before slotting his shot past Matz Sels.

Forest’s plan was probably to do much of what they had done at Anfield, stifling play in the first half before opening up on the counter in the second. But even though their offside trap caused Arsenal problems, the home side could easily have been two or three up at the break. As it was, they had to wait until seven minutes after the break for the second, Thomas Partey curling home an angled 25-yarder. Ethan Nwaneri added his first league goal with four minutes remaining.

For the first time this season, Chris Wood, the league’s second-highest scorer, did not start as a result of his efforts to play for New Zealand in Oceania’s World Cup qualifiers. Taiwo Awoniyi was dogged enough but, on just his second start this season, he lacked the threat Wood has offered during his recent golden form. Wood was finally introduced after an hour, but by then the pattern was set.

There was a very modern moment of controversy when Ola Aina, already heavily cautioned, did not receive a second yellow card after picking up the ball to delay a restart – referee Simon Hooper appeared to be reaching for his pocket before he thought about – but that aside, this was as uneventful a victory as Mikel Arteta could have dreamed of. No drama, no fuss, just a comfortable three points.

So can Arsenal win the title? Obviously, ideally they wouldn’t want to give anyone a head start, but despite starting the weekend nine points behind leaders Liverpool and four behind Manchester City, Opta’s data suggested they had had the fifth hardest start of any club ( Forest, who started the day’s level on points, had on the other hand had the fifth easiest). They have already met five of the other six teams that finished in the top seven last season away from home. They will have to make a run to get back into the title race, but the fixture list means it is at least conceivable.