Mikel Arteta deflected questions about Arsenal's off-field restructuring ahead of a key Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest. The Arsenal manager instead focused on his team's readiness and provided encouraging updates on several injured players.

Speaking before Sunday's match at the City Ground, Arteta was asked about the club's plan to cut 60 jobs. "This question is not for me," he said. "I was explained about the exercise and analysis that has been done across the club with the intention to evolve." He added that to improve and keep investing in success, some decisions had to be taken to put people in the right roles.

Arteta's primary concern is his squad's fitness for a tough away fixture. He reported that William Saliba's recovery is "very, very positive" and that Martin Zubimendi looks much better, with a final assessment scheduled for Saturday. Piero Hincapie is hoped to be back before the upcoming international break, while Christos Tzolis is still a few weeks away from returning. All four missed Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League win over Lille, a result that extended Arsenal's winning run to two games.

The Gunners sit second in the Premier League standings with 15 points from six matches, just three points behind leaders Manchester City. Their recent form shows four wins from their last five outings, a strong response to a 3-0 defeat at Brighton last month. "We have responded really well since losing to Brighton," Arteta noted. "We've had two very good performances."

Sunday's opponents, Nottingham Forest, are 15th in the table but present a specific challenge at home. Arteta acknowledged the difficulty, calling Forest an "extremely well-coached team" that can create a special momentum at the City Ground. His record there is poor, with just one win from five visits since becoming Arsenal boss in December 2019.

Arteta also addressed his team's attacking profile this season. Arsenal have scored 10 league goals, all from open play, drawing some criticism for a lack of set-piece threat after being so effective from dead balls last term. "I don't know what level we are at right now," he said, "but the team is showing a great attacking flow and we have scored some beautiful goals." Bukayo Saka leads the scoring charts with three goals.

The manager confirmed the squad's annual team photo had been delayed due to scheduling conflicts and commercial obligations but would be taken soon. Arsenal's focus now is entirely on Sunday's 16:30 BST kick-off, a key test as they look to maintain their title challenge.

More detail at bbc.co.uk