Arsenal's title hopes suffered a devastating blow on Wednesday night as they were held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
The Gunners failed to break down Forest's defensive wall in a match of few clear-cut chances.
Mikel Arteta's men now find themselves 13 points adrift of runaway leaders Liverpool, with their title challenge fading rapidly.
It was a second successive match without a goal for Arsenal after their weekend defeat to West Ham United.
Arsenal could not break down a stubborn Forest defence
Reuters
The stalemate leaves the North London side facing a mountain to climb with just 11 games remaining in their Premier League campaign.
Arsenal's attacking woes were painfully evident throughout the match, with the Gunners managing just one shot on target at the City Ground.
Despite dominating possession, particularly in the second half, Arteta's men struggled to create meaningful opportunities against a resolute Forest defence.
The visitors were forced to rely heavily on set-pieces, but even these proved ineffective as Forest stood firm and were rarely troubled.
Riccardo Calafiori came closest to breaking the deadlock for Arsenal when his curling effort struck the post in the first half.
The Italian defender, however, endured a difficult evening defensively against Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Booked after just three minutes, Calafiori's positioning was repeatedly called into question as he lost three of his four duels.
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His struggles were so apparent that Arteta opted to substitute him at half-time, bringing on Kieran Tierney in his place.
Mikel Arteta's decision to deploy midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre forward backfired spectacularly.
The 28-year-old Spaniard looked uncomfortable in the unfamiliar role, managing just one shot on target and making only four touches in the Forest box.
Without a natural focal point, Arsenal's attack lacked cohesion despite their territorial dominance in the second half.
The contrast with Forest's Chris Wood was stark, with the New Zealand striker posing a genuine threat throughout the evening.
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Raheem Sterling came under fire from his own fans
PA
Raheem Sterling's introduction from the bench did little to improve Arsenal's attacking fortunes.
The Chelsea loanee put in a performance that drew fierce criticism from frustrated Arsenal supporters on social media.
One fan lamented: "Raheem Sterling loan deal and his every performance from start to finish sum up the ambition and the failures of this club."
Another supporter was even more scathing, writing: "Raheem Sterling. Just leave man, you're finished at this level. One of the worst Arsenal signings ever."
And this fan said: "The fact that we're starting Merino at ST in back to back games when we signed Raheem Sterling tells you everything you need to know about what a FAILURE that loan transfer was. Pathetic & Embarrassing."
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Mikel Arteta was not happy with his Arsenal players
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The decision to bring on Sterling ahead of youngster Ethan Nwaneri also drew criticism, with fans questioning Arteta's judgement.
With only 11 matches remaining in the Premier League season, Arteta's side have left themselves too much ground to make up.
Forest, meanwhile, remain third in the table despite being winless in their last three top-flight outings.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side are just one point ahead of fourth place as they continue their surprise push for Champions League qualification.
