Arsenal broke Nottingham Forest’s resolve as a second-half strike by substitute Noni Madueke earned the defending champions a sixth Premier League 1-0 win of the season.
The Gunners looked in danger of being held to their first draw of the campaign as they struggled to break down the home side’s defence.
A dreadful first half did not feature any shots on target from either side, which is only the second time that has happened in the Premier League this season.
The first time was in a game that also involved Arsenal – at Aston Villa on 31 August, when the Gunners went on to win 1-0 thanks to Bukayo Saka’s second-half strike.
Once again they ultimately found a way to secure all three points as Madueke – who had replaced Eberechi Eze at half-time – saw his shot deflect off Daniel Munoz and find the back of the net.
That was Arsenal’s first shot on target and will have been a frustrating blow for the hosts, after they had looked like potentially upsetting the Gunners after making the better start to the second half.
But Forest paid the price for poor finishing as their search for a first home win of the season continues.
Arsenal, meanwhile remain second in the Premier League, three points behind leaders Manchester City.
Elsewhere, In a season that is forcing Manchester United fans to dig deep for reasons to be positive, Bryan Mbeumo scored again at Elland Road.
That is four goals in seven Premier League games for the Cameroon forward.
Apart from Bruno Fernandes, who scored a hat-trick against Ipswich in August, no-one else in Michael Carrick’s squad has scored more than one.
But it’s meagre fare. It is true to say Manchester United did reasonably well in their 1-1 draw at Leeds United, just as they did at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday after conceding inside the first minute.
Carrick told BBC Radio 5 Live afterwards he “had the headphones on” this week so he hasn’t heard the external noise created by Lisandro Martinez’s rant.
However, he knows his side have to win matches at some point.
That is six without a victory now, the worst run since 2018-19, when form nosedived after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as permanent manager.
RESULTS
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Rangers 2-0 MC Alger
CAF CONFED CUP
El Kanemi 2-2 Raja
EUROMATCH NPFL
Enyimba 0-0 W’Wolves
Inter Lagos 0-2 Nasarawa
K’Pillars 1-0 Katsina
N’Tornadoes 2-1 Ikorodu
Plateau 2-3 Sporting Lagos
River Utd 0-0 Barau FC
PREMIER LEAGUE
Bo’mouth 2-0 Sunderland
Brighton 5-0 Cry’Palace
Leeds 1-1 Man Utd
N’Forest 0-1 Arsenal
SERIE A
Udinese 0-3 Lecce
Fiorentina 1-3 Como
AC Milan 3-2 Atalanta
Juventus 0-3 Lazio
LA LIGA
Osasuna 2-0 Santander
Celta Vigo 2-1 Alaves
Malaga 2-5 Sociedad
R’Madrid 4-1 Sevilla