Arsenal thrash Nottingham Forest to regain top spot – but lose Bukayo Saka to injury

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table by thumping Nottingham Forest 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium – but it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the Gunners, who lost Bukayo Saka through injury in the first half.

Mikel Arteta's side have now won nine home league games in a row – a run stretching back to the end of last season – and, after last weekend's disappointing 1-1 draw at Southampton and a 2-0 Europa League loss at PSV in midweek, they came flying out of the traps back on their own patch: Saka teed up Gabriel Martinelli for the opening goal just five minutes in.

Saka was pulling the strings as Arsenal dominated Forest – who, having beaten Liverpool 1-0 at home last weekend, were brought crashing back down to earth in North London – but his involvement was to last less than half an hour. With just three weeks to go until the World Cup, the England star was forced off and replaced by Reiss Nelson. Arteta later said that it was "hopefully" just a knock.

And it's fair to say Nelson – making his first league appearance of the campaign – made the most of his opportunity: in the space of three minutes early in the second half, the 22-year-old bagged a brace to put the Gunners 3-0 up and out of sight.

There was more to come, though, as the hosts put the finishing touches on a comfortable victory in style: first, Thomas Partey curled in an unstoppable effort from 30 yards – before captain Martin Odegaard saw off four Forest defenders to smash home goal number five.

While Arsenal are sitting pretty at the Premier League summit, Forest finish the weekend bottom of the pile and remain without an away win since returning to the top flight.