Arsenal news: Martin Odegaard hailed as goalkeeper reflects on failed transfer

Arsena earned a first league win in five as Martin Odegaard made an instant impact in his first home game since late August to deliver Mikel Arteta three vital points

Arsenal are back to winning ways with Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka combining brilliantly in a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates.

And with Liverpool not in action until Sunday afternoon, the Gunners' Premier League deficit is, at least temporarily, down to six points.

Arteta gushed over Odegaard's performance in the skipper's first home start since August, while the Arsenal manager was also delighted to see teenage academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri score his first senior goal by adding the third goal late on.

Here are the big stories to consume from a rejuvenated Arsenal over the past 24 hours.

Forest report

Mikel Arteta maintained his impassive look when the full-time whistle was blown.

But deep down the Arsenal manager will have been delighted by this emphatic response to the four-game winless run that has threatened to derail their title ambitions.

With captain Martin Odegaard making his first home start since late August and Bukayo Saka rejuvenated following an international break focused on recovery, the Gunners laid on a platter of delicious attacking football.

Saka scored the opener before feeding Thomas Partey for the second goal, consigning Arteta’s decision to leave Kai Havertz and Declan Rice on the substitutes’ bench as barely a footnote.

Electric academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, 17, converted a clinical third three minutes after coming off the bench - his first senior goal for the club.

Read Alan Smith's verdict from the Emirates.

Odegaard hailed

Martin Odegaard needed just three minutes to wave his magic wand.

One luscious swing of his left boot sent the ball swirling into Nottingham Forest's penalty box, Mikel Merino's header was scrambled off the line by the desperate Nicolas Dominguez and Jurrien Timber stabbed home.

VAR would later rain on Arsenal's parade, ruling the goal out for offside, however, the two weeks' worth of tension that has lingered since the 1-1 draw at Chelsea immediately lifted around the Emirates as the assertive start provided a clear injection of confidence.

The Gunners soon began to go through the gears, Bukayo Saka probed from the right, driving at nervous marker Alex Moreno while captain marvel Odegaard was pulling the strings, cunningly finding glorious, fractional pockets of space in between the lines.

Read Ryan Taylor's piece on the Norwegian star.

Keeper 'isolated'

Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia has revealed he decided to "isolate" himself after watching a dream summer transfer to Arsenal collapse.

Arsenal were reportedly in talks with the LaLiga giants over Garcia as Mikel Arteta sought a replacement back-up goalkeeper for David Raya after Aaron Ramsdale joined Southampton.

It is believed the Gunners agreed personal terms with the £25million-rated keeper but failed to thrash out a deal with Espanyol.

After walking away from negotiations, Arsenal ended up bringing in Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto on a season-long loan deal instead.

And Garcia has taken the decision hard.

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