Arteta: ‘It’s a Very Clear Penalty – Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is adamant that his side was denied a really pretty clear penalty during their 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, and that’s left them unable to capitalise on the shock defeat suffered by their nearest rivals Manchester City.
The game – on January 17, 2026 – was a bit of a snooze fest with Arsenal dominating the ball but finding it hard to get past a Forest defence that was determined not to let anything get through, which is basically just a second 0-0 draw in a row for the Gunners in the league.
Ideal Opportunity to Pull Clear in the Title Race
Arsenal turned up at the City Ground feeling pretty upbeat after hearing that Manchester United had beaten City earlier in the day – and that gave them the chance to surge 9 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
But despite creating loads of chancs Mikel Arteta’s team just couldn’t find a way past the Forest defence, which leaves them 7 points clear of the team that’s currently their closest challengers – and Aston Villa could cut that to as little as 4 points if they beat Everton on Sunday.
The Gunners are still pretty much the favourite to win the title after all these years – but getting robbed of what they’d have seen as an easy 3 points has raised a few question marks about just how clinical they are on the pitch.
The Controversial Penalty Incident Involving Ola Aina
The one bit of the game thats had everyone talking since the final whistle blew is when Forest defender Ola Aina appeared to get his hand on the ball in the penalty area – when he actually just off loaded it from under his own arm least he was clipped by a fellow player – and then had VAR come in and tell the referee that it didn’t count.
Mikel Arteta has spoken to the media and says he is “furious” with the decision.
Also Read: Declan Rice’s Frustration Caught on Camera After Arsenal’s Frustrating 0-0 Draw at Nottingham Forest
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: “It hits the shoulder and then he takes the ball with the hand,” he said. “The explanation is not right, but then the rest, it’s OK.
“The order is OK, but the timing and the intention is very clear. If not, I wouldn’t be sitting here saying, in my opinion, it’s a very clear penalty.”
Forest boss Sean Dyche has told Mikel Arteta to stop moaning and just get on with it, saying the decision was fair and giving this sort of penalty would be getting a bit too wild for the game.
“I just think the game has got to be careful,” he said. “It’s a nudge in the back from our own player, granted it hits his arm. You just think, ‘Where does this live?’.
“We have got to be careful with all this. I don’t think you can give penalties for things like that.
“I don’t like half of the penalties that are given for handball nowadays, but I understand that’s the way the game is going and the rules are going.”
On his side’s performance, he added: “There’s a lot to be pleased about. They have delivered today.”
Missed Chances Highlight Arsenal’s Frustration
The penalty fiasco is the obvious let down but those aren’t the only chances that slipped through Arsenal’s fingers :
- That open goal that Gabriel Martinelli somehow contrived to miss
- Declan Rice who will be kicking himself for missing a sitter
- Mikel Merino who came close but not quite close enough
- Bukayo Saka’s thunderous header which was somehow saved by Forest’s goalkeeper Matz Sels – talk about a close shave!
Mikel Arteta was lavish in his praise for his team’s defensive solidity – they somehow managed not to concede a single shot on target – but was clearly gutted that they didn’t come away with all 3 points.
“We came here to win the game and we haven’t managed that for different reasons. We created four massive chances… and on top of that, there is a very clear penalty that has not been given. So without conceding a single shot on target again, to find that we haven’t won the game with that is disappointing.”
He said while the performance showed a bit of an improvement, it wasnt as big a step forward as you’d like and every match from here on in is now about pushing for those wins.
Forest’s Resilient Performance Earns Valuable Point
Nottingham Forest got a lot of praise for the way they dug deep and defended as a unit and that earned them a vital point in the fight against relegation – especially timely after West Ham’s win over the Spurs piled on heaps of pressure for the bottom teams.
Dyche was happy to see the positives, though – he reckons his team delivered in some areas but can only do so much with the pressure they’re under from the likes of Arsenal.
That draw just highlights how much work Arsenal still have to do in turning all that dominance into actual goals but with their lead intact and some decent fixtures up ahead, they’re still in the box seat. As for the VAR and handball debates, it looks like they’re just getting warmed up.
Also Read: Inter’s Chivu Hails Arsenal as Europe’s Strongest Ahead of Champions League Tie
Arteta: ‘It’s a Very Clear Penalty – Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal