Double Nelson ties Forest up in knots as Arsenal cruise back to the top with five-goal haul

Arsenal (1) 5 Martinelli 5, Nelson 49, 52, Partey 57, Odegaard 78

Nottingham Forest (0) 0

Two goals in three second half minutes from sub Reiss Nelson helped Arsenal leapfrog Man City in a stroll back to the Premier League summit.

Making his first league appearance of the season, Nelson’s arrival after only 27 minutes was hardly a moment for celebration as he replaced an injured Bukayo Saka, whose ankle injury will be a cause for concern both for Mikel Arteta and for Gareth Southgate, with the World Cup on the horizon.

It looked like being a stroll for the Gunners, given the way they started, and any repeat of two recent FA Cup reverses at the City Ground soon looked unlikely.

Their slick moves seemed to carve open Forest at will and they were ahead after only five minutes when Saka’s cross found the diving head of Gaby Martinelli.

Martinelli then had a shot cleared of the line by Renan Lodi as the Gunners threatened to run amok through combinations of Saka’s work down the right and Martin Odegaard’s ability to create danger with his intricate footwork.

But the wind was taken out of those billowing red sails with less than half an hour played as Saka hobbled off after giving up on trying to run off an accidental ankle stamp by Lodi.

Sensing a loss of momentum in the home side, Forest almost got back on level terms when a stray pass from Gabriel gifted Jesse Lingard a free pot at goal, but the shot was blocked and the moment was gone.

Within a handful of second half minutes, the outcome was virtually put to bed by Nelson.

The 22-year-old winger fired home at the second attempt after having his first shot saved by Dean Henderson – an opening created by good work from Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Jesus – then he stole in at the near post to guide in a cross from Jesus.

With bottom of the table Forest now reeling, everyone seemed to want to get in on the act and Thomas Partey joined an attack to smack a first-time shot into the roof of the net for 4-0.

It was a day when Jesus could not find the target, but he had a hugely influential afternoon and his lay-off allowed Odegaard to lash in a fifth – it meant a second assist for the Arsenal striker.

It’s Chelsea away next and the Gunners will travel to west London full of confidence.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Ramsdale – White, Saliba (Tierney 75), Gabriel, Tomiyasu (Cedric Soares 63) – Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka (Nketiah 75) – Saka (Nelson 28), Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli (Vieira 63). Subs not used: Holding, Sambi Lokonga, Marquinhos, Hein

Forest: (4-3-3) Henderson – Aurier, S Cook, McKenna, Lodi (N Williams 64) – Yates, Freuler, Kouyate (O’Brien 81) – Gibbs-White (Johnson 58), Awoniyi (Worrall 64), Lingard (Dennis 56). Subs not used: Mangala, Hennessey, Surridge, Boly