Nottingham Forest continued their impressive rise under Nuno Espirito Santo, climbing to second in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park. This win marked their fifth consecutive victory, equaling the club’s Premier League record set in 1995. The result also saw Forest achieve a remarkable feat, becoming the first team since 1898-99 to win at both Everton and Liverpool in the same league season.
The match was a controlled and dominant performance from Forest, with Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White scoring the goals that secured the three points. Everton, who had been unbeaten in their previous six home league games, struggled throughout, appearing ineffective and vulnerable.
Nuno Espirito Santo praised his team’s display, noting that they were dominant in both boxes and could have added more goals with better composure in the final moments. Despite a late injury to defender Murillo in the warm-up, which led to a tactical shift, Forest remained focused and delivered a performance befitting their high league position.
Chris Wood was the standout performer, scoring his 11th goal of the season with a brilliant finish. The goal came after a perfectly timed pass from Gibbs-White, who played the ball through to Wood. The striker cushioned a header to Anthony Elanga, who then returned the ball to Wood inside the area. Wood cleverly lifted the ball over Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who had rushed out to narrow the angle, giving Forest the lead.
Everton struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Armando Broja making his first start but failing to make an impact. Iliman Ndiaye had a decent early opportunity but blasted over from the edge of the area. Jarrad Branthwaite also missed a chance from a corner. Overall, Everton’s play lacked creativity, and they were often sloppy in possession.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the second half after a defensive error by Everton. A miscommunication between James Tarkowski and Vitalii Mykolenko allowed Elanga to intercept a pass and find Wood. The striker turned provider, setting up Gibbs-White, who cut inside Abdoulaye Doucouré and finished with confidence to make it 2-0.
Everton’s manager Sean Dyche was frustrated with his team’s performance, particularly in the first half, where they failed to execute the game plan. He noted that Forest had done the basics better and were more effective in their approach. Dyche made substitutions at halftime, introducing Jesper Lindstrøm for Jack Harrison, but Everton could not break down Forest’s solid defense.
Pickford made a series of excellent saves to keep the scoreline respectable, denying efforts from Ramón Sosa, Neco Williams, and later, Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi. Despite these efforts, Everton were unable to recover, and Forest maintained their dominance until the final whistle.
In the closing stages, Everton showed some improvement with the introductions of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto, and Nathan Patterson, but it was too little too late. Forest’s victory continued their impressive ascent in the Premier League, leaving them in a strong position as the season progresses.
