David Raya hails ‘special’ Noni Madueke after late Arsenal winner against Nottingham Forest

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has praised Noni Madueke as a "special player" after the winger came off the bench to score the winning goal in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest.

Madueke's late deflected strike secured three important points at the City Ground, helping Mikel Arteta's side reclaim second place and close the gap on leaders Manchester City.

Raya believes the result demonstrated Arsenal's growing maturity after they struggled to break down a disciplined Forest defence.

Arsenal controlled possession for much of the contest but faced another frustrating afternoon against Nottingham Forest.

With the match still goalless after 80 minutes, substitute Madueke finally broke the deadlock when his effort deflected past the goalkeeper.

Speaking to Premier League Productions, Raya highlighted the importance of his team-mate's intervention.

"He's a special player and it's going to be a special goal for him to get the win at such a difficult ground and such a difficult team," Raya said.

"So, I'm delighted for him."

The Spanish goalkeeper also praised Arsenal's patience as they continued searching for a breakthrough.

"We showed maturity and a lot of desire. Keep doing the right things, and the ball will get into the net."

Arsenal had drawn 0-0 on their previous two visits to the City Ground, making Sunday's victory particularly satisfying.

The Gunners were also looking to respond after their defeat to Brighton and a 19-day break between fixtures.

Raya believes the squad's determination made the difference.

"We had experiences in the last two years where we drew 0-0 here, so I think we showed a lot of character to keep digging the result," he explained.

The goalkeeper acknowledged that improvements are still needed but was encouraged by the team's response.

"The way we responded, the way we played, the way we came back, is incredible, you know."

Arsenal's attention now turns to Wednesday's Champions League trip to Bayern Munich before they host Everton in the Premier League this weekend.

Arsenal travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday, aiming to carry their Premier League momentum into Europe.

Arteta's side then return to the Emirates Stadium to face Everton as they continue their pursuit of Manchester City at the top of the table.