Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, following their 1-0 loss to Liverpool pre-international break, got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon thanks to a goal from Viktor Gyokeres and a brace courtesy of Martin Zubimendi – and Sky Sports reporter Alex Aljoe has been praised for her post-match interview with the latter.
Keen to secure silverware in 2025/26 after three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League, Arteta and his entourage will be pleased with their three-goal haul against Forest, who recently appointed Ange Postecoglou, heading into an integral period of the season: the start of their Champions League campaign and Manchester City at home.
As a means of strengthening their pursuit, the north Londoners were busy over the summer months in terms of welcoming new faces: Gyokeres was signed, as were English duo Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. One of the most important additions, however, was former Real Sociedad lynchpin Zubimendi – and the 26-year-old's move is beginning to pay dividends.
Sky Sports' Alex Aljoe Blows Fans Away in Interview with Martin Zubimendi
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Alex Aljoe was in charge of speaking to Zubimendi for his post-match interview for Sky Sports, and with the 21-cap Spain international speaking little English, she introduced the chat in Spanish before translating her question, word for word, for the viewers. "What a win! Congratulations on your two brilliant goals. We'll start with your first goal. Talk us through that one."
Scoring the first outside-the-box strike of his top flight career, the Alicante-born midfielder shot through a sea of white shirts, which dumbfounded Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. Talking through it, translated by Aljoe, he said: "I was more focused on thinking about defending because they were on the counter but then, well, the ball landed at my feet, I took the shot, and it went in."
Then, Aljoe – whose translation genius was praised in April after doing the same for Brazil international Marquinhos after Paris Saint-Germain's 3-2 win over Aston Villa – asked Arsenal's summer recruit about his second goal and, more importantly, the delivery from Leandro Trossard.
Aljoe then worked her magic once again after Zubimendi delivered his response in Spanish. "He said 'Yeah, it was a brilliant ball from Trossard. It's not easy scoring a goal in the Premier League. But, yeah, it was a brilliant header."
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Rising highest at the back stick, the 1999-born enforcer – who scored just 10 goals in his 236-game stint with Sociedad – headed home past Sels to make it three for Arteta and Co. Shocked and ecstatic in equal measure, he and his teammates wheeled away in celebration.
Zubimendi and Aljoe, continuing the conversation, then went to exchange words in Spain about his goalscoring record in La Liga compared to in England's top flight, how he, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino linked up as a midfield three for his former employers and taking momentum into their upcoming matches.
Watch Zubimendi's full interview with Aljoe below:
Fans, in utter awe of the presenter's ability to jump between languages and relay Zubimendi's answers so well, have responded to the Premier League's posted footage. Keeping it simple, one wrote: "She did brilliantly!" as another echoed very similar thoughts: "So impressive."
"Alex Aljoe is, without a doubt, one of the best out there. I don't see anyone else do this as smoothly as she can."
"This is brilliant," another took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, before another praised the female presenter: "Alex Aljoe doing live translation of her own questions AND Zubimendi's answers is peak efficiency." "When reporters have RANGE >>>" said another as another highlighted that it's a 'nice tough' for supporters: "Alex Aljoe doing the translation is such a nice touch for fans."