Madueke's Late Strike Seals Victory for Arsenal at City Ground
Noni Madueke came off the bench at halftime and delivered the crucial goal that secured Arsenal's victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
In a match that lacked excitement, Madueke's late strike broke the deadlock. But how did the players measure up in this battle for points?
Matz Sels had a relatively quiet game, facing little pressure as Arsenal struggled to generate clear chances until late in the match. He earns a 6 for his solid performance.
Murillo took a knock to the head in the first half but showed resilience, almost equalizing in injury time with a skillful effort. His rating stands at 6.
Ousmane Diomande, making just his fourth Premier League start, displayed composure and was on track to help Forest secure a point. He also receives a 6.
Defender Jair Cunha has become a reliable figure for Oliver Glasner's squad but was unlucky when Madueke's shot deflected off him for the goal. He also scores a 6.
Neco Williams struggled to make an impact from wing-back, earning a booking early on. His usual precise deliveries were absent, so he receives a 6 as well.
Xaver Schlager was integrated into Forest's midfield but couldn't influence the game significantly, resulting in another 6.
Nicolas Dominguez looked tidy in his first Premier League outing of the season but faded as the match progressed, earning him a 6.
James McAtee was tasked with stepping up in the absence of Morgan Gibbs-White but failed to provide the creative spark, landing a 6.
Daniel Munoz tested Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya and attempted to push forward, especially in the first half, but didn't do enough to leave a mark, also receiving a 6.
Dan Ndoye had an early chance but struggled to find the end product, rating a 6 for his efforts against Riccardo Calafiori.
Liam Delap created a nuisance for Arsenal's defense but couldn't capitalize on his physical play, finishing with a rating of 6.
Ibrahim Sangare, who came on in the 74th minute, halted a crucial moment for Forest, allowing Arsenal to regroup and score, so he receives a 5.
Arnaud Kalimuendo and Chris Wood, both introduced late, were unable to turn the tide, while Callum Hudson-Odoi came on but couldn’t influence the game, with all subs not rated.
On the Arsenal side, goalkeeper David Raya had a solid outing, making a crucial catch from a corner in the first half, earning a 6.
Ben White was involved in plenty of overlapping runs and defended well, but failed to make a breakthrough before being replaced by Jurrien Timber, also rated at 6.
Ezri Konsa had a strong performance, contributing to a clean sheet with key defensive efforts, especially an injury-time tackle on Delap, receiving a 7.
Gabriel Magalhaes faced pressure but held firm alongside his center-back partner, earning a 6 for his performance.
Riccardo Calafiori made some adventurous runs, but a careless pass led to a Forest attack, resulting in a 6 rating.
Declan Rice brought his usual energy to the midfield and assisted Madueke's goal, despite missing a chance earlier, landing a 7.
Bruno Guimaraes struggled to make an impact and was replaced by Mikel Merino, earning a low score of 5.
Martin Odegaard sought to create chances but couldn’t unlock Forest’s defense, finishing with a 6.
Bukayo Saka delivered dangerous crosses but found little space to maneuver, earning a 6.
Eberechi Eze had a significant opportunity to shine but failed to capitalize, resulting in a 5 before his substitution at half-time.
Kai Havertz, despite Arsenal enjoying plenty of possession, didn't contribute much and was also taken off with a score of 5.
Noni Madueke's introduction brought fresh energy, and his deflected goal clinched the win for Arsenal, earning him a well-deserved 7.
Viktor Gyokeres, Mikel Merino, and Jurrien Timber all came on to make contributions but were rated a 6 for their efforts.
After the rating window closed, the scores reflect an average from submissions by BBC Sport users.
