Image source: bbc.com
Arsenal left Nottingham Forest frustrated after another goalless draw, but the weekend still ended in their favour as key rivals faltered. Mikel Arteta’s side now hold a seven-point advantage, with Manchester City losing again and Liverpool held at home. Aston Villa also missed a chance to move second after Everton won at Villa Park, prompting Unai Emery to lament a “very good opportunity” lost.
Arsenal’s lead grows despite Forest stalemate as City, Villa and Liverpool drop points
Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday extended a run of back-to-back goalless Premier League matches, raising questions in some quarters about their firepower. The broader picture, however, was more favourable for Mikel Arteta’s team as the weekend’s results strengthened their position. The source described Arsenal as having the tightest defence in the league, and said they have emerged from the weekend with their advantage stretched to seven points.
The chasing teams slipped badly. Manchester City, seen as Arsenal’s biggest threat, eased pressure on Arsenal before the City Ground trip by losing the derby at Manchester United, a fourth successive match without a win. City have taken only three points out of 12. Liverpool, the reigning champions, drew with Burnley at Anfield in a result that drew jeers from their supporters, and the report said that left them fourth and 14 points behind Arsenal.
At Villa Park, Aston Villa’s attempt to leap-frog City into second place was derailed by an Everton win described as fully deserved. Villa had won their previous 11 home games, but Everton looked the more likely side to land the decisive moment before Thierno Barry took advantage of Emiliano Martinez’s attempt to turn a routine save into something more spectacular, finishing with class to secure the victory.
Villa manager Unai Emery said: “There are other teams with more potential than us.” He added: “We lost a very good opportunity here, but we are having a fantastic season. We lost the opportunity to be second in the league, something very fantastic, but we must now recover.” The report said Emery is believed to be targeting striker Tammy Abraham, currently on loan at Besiktas from Roma, and noted Villa have sold Donyell Malen to Roma, where the forward scored on his debut.
The source said Arsenal have been “great pretenders” in recent years after finishing second in the past three seasons, but framed this campaign as their clearest opening since the 2004 “Invincibles.” Despite the frustration of failing to beat Forest, the report said Arsenal have “cemented their position” while those around them are not showing the consistency required to sustain a title challenge.
