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Nottingham Forest clinched their place in next season’s Premier League, and Arsenal conceded the title to Manchester City, as the Reds shocked the Gunners 1-0 at the City Ground on Saturday.
The defeat leaves Arsenal (81 points) four points behind the now-three-time reigning Premier League champions, who now have two games in hand, with just one of their own left to play. Nottingham Forest (37 points), meanwhile, are mathematically safe from relegation.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s opening (and winning) goal came somewhat against the run of play, as Forest began the game brightly before fading as Arsenal took the upper hand. Even the sequence leading to the goal began with Arsenal in comfortable possession of the ball, until Martin Odegaard gave it away under very little pressure.
The ball came straight to Morgan Gibbs-White, who was immediately on his horse and headed the other way. Awoniyi streaked across Gibbs-White’s path and opened up the space to received the through ball on his right foot. Gabriel Magalhaes rushed back to defend the danger and got a touch on the ball before Awoniyi could shoot, but it deflected off the striker’s leg, bounced over Aaron Ramsdale and found its way inside the far post..
With their title pulse hanging on by a thread, Arsenal managed just five shots (for a combined 0.22 xG) in the second half. The Gunners hardly threatened Forest despite the severity of their circumstances for the final 70 minutes.
Though their title collapse is now officially complete, a return to next season’s UEFA Champions League (after missing out five straight seasons) still awaits as a lucrative consolation prize.
