EPL Wrap: Arsenal duo pulled apart after heated altercation despite win; stunning miss you ‘can’t believe’

Arsenal ended a barren run on the road as goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to close to within two points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

But there was some late drama for the Gunners after Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ben White had to be separated following a full-time altercation.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was seen trying to calm down Zinchenko and later explained to TNT Sports that the pair were arguing over the late goal the Gunners conceded.

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“That’s pushing each other and being not happy conceding and I have to encourage that and promote it in the right way and a respectful way,” Arteta said.

“Sometimes after the game it’s emotional and heated but I love that the players are pushing each other and demanding excellence.”

“I love it. They are demanding more,” Arteta added in the post-game press conference.

“They are just trying to resolve it. Playing the way we played the result has to be bigger.”

Goals from Jesus and Saka maintained the Gunners’ title push at the City Ground ahead of their clash at home to leaders Liverpool on Monday [AEDT].

The visitors struggled to make their dominance of possession count until 25 minutes from time when Jesus’ effort from a narrow angle sneaked between the legs of former Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner.

Saka then fired home his 10th goal of the season from Jesus’ cross. Substitute Taiwo Awoniyi set up a grandstand finish when he outmuscled William Saliba to slot home on 89 minutes.

But it was too little, too late for Forest who slip to within two points of the relegation zone and with the threat of a points deduction hanging over the club for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

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