Arsenal

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Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman is refusing to give up hope on the Gunners' chance this season but accepts that getting a striker would be the "final piece of the jigsaw".

"We always needed a striker. We tried in the transfer window and now hopefully there is one lined up in the summer, but that will be a bit too late," Seaman told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"We have been playing this type of football for a long time and [getting a striker] will be the final piece of the jigsaw. That will hopefully be what makes it [winning the Premier League title] happen next season.

"I am privileged that I go into Arsenal once a week and I see the players training. The way Mikel works, he is getting the best out of his players. The whole training ground is all together.

"I would definitely not go down that route [of changing manager] because we are getting better and better. We are now serious contenders for the league, we have a good chance in the Champions League and it is a progression.

"The next step to that is getting a striker."

Arsenal fan and YouTuber Charlene Smith believes the club's owners need to take responsibility for the title challenge fading.

"I feel like injuries are out of our control, but I do feel like we needed to do business in the January transfer window," she said. "We have needed a striker for so long and we have released a lot of players but have not replaced those we let go.

"They need to take ownership of that and accept we should have got more players in. If we had, the season could have been looking a lot different."

Saturday's home defeat by West Ham was a real hammer blow for Arsenal's title hopes.

They need to bounce back and find a way of beating Nottingham Forest, but this is a tough trip after such a devastating result, and I am not so sure they will take the points here either.

Forest are not in great form themselves, and got a bit of a walloping at Newcastle. Nuno Espirito Santo was clearly unhappy with some of his side's defending in that game.

But how are Arsenal going to score goals? I don't know at the moment.

If Gunners boss Mikel Arteta needs a left-back, he has got a few of them on the bench. Unfortunately he needs a centre-forward, and there is not one of those to be seen.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Arsenal won this fixture 2-1 last season, but have not won consecutive away league games against Nottingham Forest since a run of four between 1987 and 1990.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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As the late February sun was setting over the Emirates on Saturday, the North Bank was bathed in golden light. On the pitch, however, things were categorically not golden.

Arsenal's 1-0 home loss to West Ham felt like it all but ended their title hopes, especially as Liverpool swept past Manchester City in Sunday's late kick-off to go 11 points clear of the Gunners

Only the most optimistic Arsenal fan will now not have conceded that Arne Slot's side will be crowned champions.

The atmosphere at the Emirates was a strange one this weekend. In previous games, with Arsenal desperately chasing a goal to win the game, the stadium and fans are often nervous and impatient. There is an energy, a bubbling sense of frustration, with supporters aching for that release when the ball hits the back of the net.

What stood out this week was that the lacklustre display on the pitch was almost directly mirrored by the lethargy in the stands. Perhaps the biggest cheer of the day was for David Raya's sprint technique in full flight, by which point the game was lost.

That atmosphere was reflective of what many fans had feared - this result had been coming, and there was nothing that could be done to prevent it.

Mikel Merino's surprise double at King Power Stadium had acted as a temporary amnesia for the 80 minutes during which Arsenal huffed and puffed and failed to blow Leicester down. On Saturday, there was no such miracle.

When Jarrod Bowen's header hit the back of the net, it was as if a giant balloon had been popped.

Usually, when conceding at the Emirates, the crowd immediately rallies, with the players enthusiastically making their way back to the centre, ready to rectify the situation.

There was none of that this weekend. There was no fight in them left, and the crowd could feel it too.

It was a sad, but perhaps inevitable way for Arsenal to bow out of the title race.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

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Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will have to make "history" to win the Premier League given the injury setbacks and points deficit they are battling.

The Gunners face a trip to Champions League hopefuls Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, after suffering a disappointing defeat to West Ham on Saturday at the Emirates.

Speaking about their chances of winning the league ahead of their trip to The City Ground, Arteta said: "The difficulty is higher than three days ago. But, if you are going to win the Premier League you have to do something special.

"If you are going to win the Premier League with the circumstances we have you will probably have to do something that nobody else has done in the history of the Premier League."

Arsenal are currently nine points off league leaders Liverpool but have a game in hand. After finishing second in the last two Premier League seasons, Arteta - who has refused to say his side are too far behind - insists his staff and players still believe.

"We know how quickly things can change - you have to be there, we all deserve to continue in that fight," Arteta added.

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are "progressing really well" but still have "a bit far to come back". Ethan Nwaneri was just cramping up at the weekend and he will be fine.

• After Arsenal's loss to West Ham and Liverpool's victory at Man City Arteta said: "It was a disappointing weekend - the previous 15 games we had won 10 and drawn five - exactly the same as Liverpool with exactly the same goal difference. We have been extremely consistent."

• He said Saturday's defeat was "a really hard one to take", adding "The reality is there are so many games to play and you have to get back to it."

• Asked if he would give up on the title race, Arteta said "over my dead body" and that he would "go home" if he didn't feel they could win the title.

• On how difficult it would be to still win the league: "The difficulty is higher than three days ago but if you are going to win the Premier League you have to do something special. If you are going to win the Premier League with the circumstances we have you will probably have to do something that nobody else has done in the history of the Premier League."

• He said the players will also not give up, stating: "We know how quickly things can change - you have to be there, we all deserve to continue in that fight."

• On Forest: "Unbelievable - what they are doing and what he [Nuno] has done, but also what he did at Wolves was incredible. Huge pride for him, the coaching staff, the club as well. What they have generated after coming into the Premier League is a remarkable story so well done to them."

• He said Arsenal's discipline has been a "big problem" but added: "There's a lot of factors that have contributed to that, different kinds of red cards."

• He described Ben White as "a player that has given us something very, very special," adding: "We haven't played the right unit at all this season with him, Bukayo [Saka] and Martin [Odegaard]. It's great to have him back, more options, energy, how he is around the team - he has certainly been missed."

Follow all of Tuesday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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The problem with enjoying others misfortune too much, is that in football, it will always come right back and hit you.

This has an been unforgettable season in terms of deep satisfying schadenfreude for the frustrated old school football fan. Arsenal had been getting sympathy in recent seasons. Though not exactly serial league winners in the last 20 years, the Gunners are rightly considered one of the big guns.‌

The thing that has turned some fans away from hoping they overturn Liverpool is their style. Physicality is fine, but when it leans too far over towards the dark arts, then sympathy and support vanishes quicker than their recent title challenges.

The classic example came at the weekend when the young and clearly brilliant defender Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off. Before the youngster had even reached the tunnel, every true football lover was thinking about his celebration after scoring against City. Mocking another player is taking a chance but "taking the mick" out of Erling Haaland when you are only 18, having just scored your first goal compared to Haaland's 310, that was always going to rebound painfully in his face. Hopefully Myles has learned a lesson.

That line between admirable super confidence and disagreeable arrogance can look very blurry from a distance. He is young, his Buddha celebration was clearly meant as a bit of fun, so we should give him another chance. I know I will.

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Sweden striker Alexander Isak may be allowed to leave Newcastle if they do not qualify for next season's Champions League, with Liverpool and Arsenal interested in the 25-year-old. (Mirror, external)

England manager Thomas Tuchel has held talks with Arsenal full-back Ben White over an international return, with the 27-year-old having not played for the Three Lions since 2022. (Sun, external)

Manchester City are hoping to beat Arsenal to the signing of Norway Under-21 midfielder Sverre Nypan, 18, from Rosenborg. (TBR Football, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Arsenal and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Amo: Another gutless performance with no answers to an opposing team that had been struggling. Poor show as once again we bottle it when fans could see the opportunity to narrow the gap on Liverpool. Not worthy of being champions at this rate.

AJ: There's no point in us being angry or upset. The harsh reality is that we got hit by bad luck. Getting a striker like Alexander Isak, another world-class player, and Bukayo Saka back will take us to the next level and the league title! I see good days ahead. We just need to stick together as Arsenal fans.

Richard: Dreadful performance! Poorest match this season. Lopsided midfield, lots of defenders... other clubs have injuries so we are not different. Having two shots on target is pathetic! Need a top coach to sort this out now or next season will be no different.

Stuart: If you persist at playing at walking pace for most of the game, then this is entirely predictable. Graham Potter could have handed out cups of tea to his defence. They had that much time! Arsenal's poorest display of the season by a country mile.

West Ham fans

Michael: Huge result and performance at Arsenal. You can see the effect Potter is already having on the team and our defence in particular. Last time out Arsenal scored five against us and now we get a clean sheet at Emirates Stadium. Aaron Wan-Bissaka proved once again he is one of the season's best signings. Delighted too for players like Ollie Scarles and Aaron Cresswell. Can't wait now for Evan Ferguson to get match fit and start scoring.

Monty: Excellent away perfomance as we limited Arsenals chances to one good save and then countered superbly. AWB again proving himself as this season's best signing for West Ham. Lets hope we take this performance on to Leicester - consistency is key!

Barry: Great display from the Hammers. Defensively strong, quick and direct attacks. Mohammed Kudus had one of his best games this season. Jean-Clair Todibo and Aaron Creswell were great at the back. Scarles and AWB had great games and James Ward-Prowse was excellent. We look like a team that knows what is expected of them under Potter.

Harry: Amazing performance. Defended brilliantly and took our few chances well. Now need to see how we operate when we are attacking rather than defending majority of the game. Excellent performance still and Scarles is a hero.

Arsenal are hopeful of beating Liverpool to the signing of 18-year-old Rosenborg and Norway Under-21s midfielder Sverre Nypan. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Leicester and Brentford.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 0-1 West Ham

• Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Very painful loss. First of all, congratulations to West Ham for the victory. For big parts of the game, our performance was not at the level required. We lacked a lot of precision, quality, repetition of positive actions. We weren't at our level and that allowed very simple giveaways."

On failing to convert chances: "I don't want to put it down to injuries. Our overall play and level was not at the level we needed and first of all it is my responsibility for that."

On Myles Lewis Skelly's red card: "We wanted to be more at it and we looked more of a threat. Then Myles gets sent off and it makes things even tougher and we could not score. Tomorrow is another day. We have to be very disappointed but we are still in February and there are many games to go. What happened today can happen to any team and we can only control what we do."

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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Liverpool's 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Wednesday had presented Arsenal with a chance to close the gap on Arne Slot's team to five points ahead of the Reds' visit to Manchester City on Sunday.

It was an opportunity the Gunners failed to grasp as Mikel Arteta's side failed to break down West Ham, who conceded five in the teams' last meeting back in November.

Mikel Merino - Arsenal's match-winner at Leicester City last weekend - was handed a starting berth in attack alongside Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri, but he struggled to have the same impact against the Hammers as the hosts managed only two shots on target.

Jarrod Bowen displayed the kind of attacking instinct Arteta's team were lacking shortly before half-time, collecting the ball on the edge of his own box and feeding Aaron Wan-Bissaka before getting on the end of the full-back's cross to nod home his 50th Premier League goal.

Arsenal's miserable afternoon was compounded when Myles Lewis-Skelly's yellow card for a foul on Mohammed Kudus was upgraded to a red, after the video assistant referee ruled that the teenager had denied the Ghanaian a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Victory at Etihad Stadium on Sunday would lift Slot's team 11 points clear of Arsenal, who visit high-flying Nottingham Forest in midweek.