Postecoglou loses debut as Gunners go top but it comes at a cost

DOWNED by an Anfield moment of magic last time out, Arsenal produced one of their own to spark an instant response.

But the evil injury gods conjured up yet more pain for Mikel Arteta as his overcrowded London Colney medical room welcomed another patient.

4 Martin Zubimendi netted a brace for Arsenal in their 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest Credit: PA

4 Viktor Gyokeres was also on the scoresheet Credit: Alamy

4 It was a long day at the office for Ange Postecoglou on debut Credit: Alamy

4 But the win came at a cost for Arsenal as captain Martin Odegaard went off injured Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

The Gunners went into the international break off the back of an early dent to their Prem title charge after Dominik Szoboszlai ’s free-kick stunner in a smash-and-grab Liverpool victory.

Arteta’s men were thrown a tonne of stick for it: too cautious, too reactive, not enough risk.

There was none of that against Ange Postecoglou ’s Nottingham Forest , typified by Martin Zubimendi’s missile of a volley from outside the box in the 32nd minute to shush those Merseyside moaners.

Arteta’s men were full of energy and hunger and bite, most notably from their new-boys Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze , the latter teeing up Viktor Gyokeres seconds after the restart before Zubimendi headed in another in the closing stages.

The Emirates was also in jovial spirits, taking great pleasure in taunting old Tottenham nemesis Ange once again as the rain lashed down in North London on the furrowed brow of the returning Aussie, forced to listen to ironic chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.

But as it has often been with Arteta’s men already this term, a positive result was left blemished by a sour taste as skipper Martin Odegaard was forced off after just 17 minutes with a reoccurring shoulder injury.

He joins William Saliba , Bukayo Saka , Kai Havertz and Christian Norgaard – all of whom were absent from the squad – on Arsenal’s never-ending crocked list.

With the players at his disposal this campaign after a £250m splurge on eight new players in the summer, Arteta now has the ability to rotate to try to rectify this, starting Declan Rice on the bench against Forest with an in-form Mikel Merino able to step in.

But it’s not looking pretty for Arsenal right now, especially in a chockablock month with trips to Athletic Bilbao, Port Vale and Newcastle on the horizon, as well as hosting Manchester City next weekend.

Arteta’s line-up laid out his issues clearly. A back four, midfield three and front three combination starting together for the first time for the club.

Momentum and consistency in an Arsenal shirt is, so far, hard to come by. Carry on like this and you can kiss the title goodbye.

Those moans will largely be met by deaf ears given the replacements: centre back Cristhian Mosquera is a talented young star, Merino recently scored a hat-trick for Spain and that trio of Eze, Madueke and Gyokeres is good enough to rip apart any defence in Europe.

And Madueke was doing his fair share of ripping down the right, leaving left-back Morato turned inside and out – the Brazilian the only change Ange dared to make after just a few days of training since taking charge, and it was enforced due to Ola Aina’s long-term injury.

Forest were at least dealing with the home side’s beloved set-pieces well enough. Matz Sels spread himself brilliantly to deny Merino from close range.

Seconds before, Odegaard went down in a heap under a tackle from Jurrien Timber and Morgan Gibbs-White , landing on that right shoulder he hurt last month against Leeds.

Painkillers were taken, but the pain was unmanageable, replaced by Ethan Nwaneri .

Forest were sitting deep – very un-Ange. Not even Mr. “It’s just who we are mate” is silly enough to force his gun-ho mentality on players after less than a week on the job.

But before the frustration could creep in for Arsenal, Zubimendi hit a peach past Sels from Chris Wood’s corner-clearing header.

That new-manager-bounce performance was missing as Ange stood motionless on the touchline, and he stayed that way when Eze beat the offside trap – and a VAR check – from Riccardo Calafiori’s ball at the start of the second half and teed up Gyokeres for a tap-in.

Wood came close to nicking one back, guiding the ball goalwards using his chest but for a diving fingertip stop from David Raya – the only thing he had to do all game.

Zubimendi – all 5 foot 11 inches of him – climbing highest to head home a second in the 79th minute was yet another jab into the gut of Ange who kicks off his reign on a low.

Arsenal are back in form, but Arteta will also be back in the treatment room praying for some miraculous recovery times to his walking wounded.