Forgotten Arsenal star, 27, returns to squad for Sporting clash 477 DAYS after last appearance

By Jordan Davies, Senior Sports Journalist and Football Reporter

ARSENAL romped to a 3-0 triumph against Nottingham Forest - with immoderate standout performers shining.

Here, SunSport's Jordan Davies rates each player...

David Raya - 7
Very small to do. Collected a fewer crosses good nether unit and was alert and speedy with his organisation to get Arsenal moving.

Jurrien Timber - 7
Had the shot successful the nett and unlucky not to support it that mode arsenic VAR intervened – yet – to springiness offside connected Mikel Merino successful the build-up. A coagulated display.

William Saliba - 8

Had a existent conflict connected his manus against different elephantine of a antheral successful Taiwo Awoniyi, not that it bothered him excessively much. As always, helium was up to the task without ever losing his cool.

Gabriel Magalhaes - 7
With Forest’s people antheral focused connected Saliba, this was a reasonably comfy day for Gabriel, who didn’t adjacent person immoderate decent set-pieces to attack.

Riccardo Calafiori - 7
Was a spot susceptible connected the antagonistic successful the aboriginal stages, possibly showing his fittingness levels are not determination conscionable yet aft a lengthy spell retired with injury.

However, helium regained his composure and was a stone defending crosses and set-pieces.

Jorginho - 6
A uncommon commencement and did his champion to solidify things successful midfield, but his needless yellowish yet saw him subbed astatine half-time with Arteta not consenting to instrumentality the risk.

Martin Odegaard - 9
My word, person Arsenal missed this man. Back successful the squad and backmost successful the groove, dictating the tempo and providing that originative spark with fluidity and finesse.

By the end, Forest’s players looked similar they had been beaten to submission.

Mikel Merino - 7
With Jorginho sitting deeper, the Spaniard had the state to play the ‘Rice role’, roaming guardant astatine will, and provided a existent attacking intent, driving into the box.

Bukayo Saka - 9

Showed disconnected his samba hips with immoderate silky dancing betwixt tackles successful the container earlier thumping a stunning effort into the apical corner.

Forest left-back Alex Moreno had a torrid afternoon, particularly aft helium fto Saka chopped wrong again aft the interruption to tee up Partey’s onslaught from distance.

Gabriel Jesus - 6
Still looking for conscionable a 3rd extremity this calendar year. Gave his each and had a curling effort spell narrowly wide successful the archetypal half, but it conscionable isn’t happening for the Brazilian astatine the moment.

A existent accidental missed to involvement a assertion successful this starting XI.

Leandro Trossard - 7
Should person enactment Arsenal up wrong the archetypal 2 minutes but scuffed his close-range effort and saw different good saved by Matz Sels earlier the break.

Despite hobbling disconnected for Belgium successful mid-week, helium looked arsenic crisp arsenic ever.

SUBS
THOMAS PARTEY (JORGINHO, 45) – 8

Was lone connected the transportation 7 minutes earlier curling a quality into the acold country – an inspired substitution.

OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO (CALAFIORI, 67) – 6
Did what was needed. Positioned himself for inverted passing lanes to get Arsenal retired the backmost with Forest piling unit connected with clip ticking away.

ETHAN NWANERI (ODEGAARD, 82) – 8

More minutes for this awesome academy endowment and already has a trademark decorativeness of curling into the acold country with his near foot. He astir pulled this disconnected little than 2 minutes into coming on.

Then, soon after, helium slots successful from Sterling’s cut-back for his archetypal Prem goal. Memorable.

RAHEEM STERLING (SAKA, 82) – 7
Really needed to marque a quality disconnected the seat to get his run up and running, and helium did, providing the assistance for Nwaneri’s historical goal.

JAKUB KIWIOR (TIMBER, 87) – N/A