Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal had been eight points clear at the top just two months ago, but they have had a dreadful season, with their latest defeat guaranteeing Manchester City’s almost inevitable successive triumph.
In contrast to the visitors’ despair, Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest were celebrating a stunning survival after accumulating 37 points to avoid relegation back to the second-tier Championship, whence they had escaped a year previously.
In the 19th minute, Arsenal’s typically superb midfielder Martin Odegaard made a rare error, allowing Morgan Gibbs-White to drive forward before finding Awoniyi to poke the ball home and trigger frenzied celebrations.
Predictably, the gunners dominated possession but were unable to make it count, with Gabriel Jesus thwarted several times by the excellent Keylor Navas in goal for the hosts. Forest played on the counter-attack, also carving out a string of chances.
The result put Arsenal second on 81 points with one game remaining, while Manchester City have 85 points and three matches left, starting at home to Chelsea on Sunday. Forest is 16th and six points clear of the bottom three.
