At a venue where we have drawn 0-0 in each of our past two visits, we had to be patient before netting an 80th-minute equaliser. 

Chances were few and far between until Noni Madueke scored the only goal of the game after cutting in from the left flank.

“A big win,” the boss said afterwards. “A win that we didn't have in the last two seasons at a really tough place. We knew the game was going to be with small margins, especially if we were going to score in the first few minutes, which we didn't do. There's a team that is extremely difficult to break down. Almost everything has to be perfect, but you even need to take in the chaotic moments, which we had in the first half a few, but we didn't hit the target. 

“Then in the second half we had to play a completely different game; stay very far from any frustration, elevate the level of threat and risk that we would have to take. But at the same time, be very composed and disciplined to make sure that the game doesn't open up and lose it, and we sustained the level. We had better moments, more sustained attacks, much closer to the 18-yard box.”

Patience, the manager said, was the key ingredient to the victory, allowing the players he brought on to make a real impact when it was needed. 

“Being very patient and being really convinced that at some point we were going to break them down.

“Because physically they could not maintain that level of organisation or discipline that they were having. And again, the finishers were critical. To hope for something else, a different kind of level of threat, especially in the last line, in and around the box; Jurrien brought the team much closer to the opposition half as well, Mikel, I think, was great, Viktor to stretch them and it was a nightmare for them. A really hard-fought win, but well-deserved.”

It was the man brought on at half-time, Madueke, who proved to be the difference. The England man worked his way into the box before finding the net, for his second goal of the season. 

“Very happy (for him)," Arteta added. "And we've seen a different Noni since the international break, and that's what we need. A player with such a conviction, with quality, being decisive because he can deliver like that.”

Even after our late breakthrough though, we had to survive a few nervy moments at the end, as Forest created arguably their best three chances in injury-time, the last of which was denied by a huge block by Ezri Konsa on Liam Delap. 

“Yes, there are two or three very chaotic moments, one with the throw-in of Delap and running through. And another one with Ezri, but in those moments, to stay composed, it's an extremely chaotic and stressful moment. It says a lot about the player.”