The game saw Arsenal slip 13 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League.
Arsenal and Nottingham Forest played out a frustrating match for the Premier League title chasers at the City Ground.
Despite Arsenal dominating possession with 65.1%, Nottingham Forest’s defence was hard to break.
The match started with both sides receiving yellow cards, with Calafiori booked in the third minute and Nottingham Forest’s Milenković in the fourth.
In the 25th minute, Forest’s Domínguez fired a right-footed shot from outside the area, targeting the bottom left corner, but it was comfortably saved. Two minutes later, Arsenal’s Ødergaard attempted a long pass, but Merino was caught offside.
The fourth official gave one minute of stoppage time, which ended in 0-0 for the teams despite Calafiori coming closer for Arsenal with a shot hitting the inside of the post.
Arsenal refused to give up and made key tactical adjustments in the second half, with Arteta bringing on Tierney, Zinchenko, Sterling, Partey and White.
Nottingham Forest made some substitutions as well, bringing on Yates, Danilo and Awoniyi.
In the 51st minute, Merino forced a save with a close-range header on the right side of the Arsenal box. Four minutes later, Tierney almost scored with a close-range header that missed slightly to the right.
Nottingham Forest responded with Wood who blocked the shot on target on the 69th minute, making the ball head to the bottom right corner. Three minutes later, Danilo tried a long pass but was ruled offside.
The match was shortly suspended in the 77th minute due to Arsenal’s Ødegaard sustaining an injury.
As the game restarted, Nottingham Forest’s Hudson-Odoi attempted a shot from the right side of the box over the bar in the 85th minute. Later, Partey had Arsenal’s last chance and tried a shoot from outside the area, but it went wide.
The fourth official gave four minutes of stoppage time, but the teams could not manage to score, and the match ended 0-0.
The goalless match made Arsenal’s path to the title harder as they now struggle to stay in the race.
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo said to TNT Sport: “It was a good point definitely because it was a tough game.”
He added: “Arsenal are such a good team, very hard to control but today we were solid, compact.”
Nottingham Forest will host Ipswich in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday then Manchester City at home Saturday 8 March.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta mentioned in a previous interview that he would give up on the Premier League title “over my dead body”.
After the match, he told TNT Sport: “We were there. We certainly tried. The spirit, the energy, the willingness to do it – unquestionable. But we lacked that final ball, that spark to generate something, to open them up and have more shots on target.”
He added: “The players are very disappointed not to win the game. We are here and put in everything we possibly could. We want to win. We are here to win.
Arsenal will head to PSV Eindhoven next Tuesday and then to Man Utd on Sunday 9 March.
The match leaves Arsenal with a tough path ahead if they hope to catch up with Liverpool.
