Everton vs Nottingham Forest
In a dominant display at Goodison Park, Nottingham Forest secured a 2-0 victory over Everton on Sunday to make it five consecutive wins in the Premier League for Nuno Espirito Santo's outfit. The visitors, having been in scintillating form of late, took little time to stamp their authority as they scored two clinical goals to take all three points.
In a dominant display at Goodison Park, Nottingham Forest secured a 2-0 victory over Everton on Sunday to make it five consecutive wins in the Premier League for Nuno Espirito Santo's outfit. The visitors, having been in scintillating form of late, took little time to stamp their authority as they scored two clinical goals to take all three points.
Early Breakthrough for Forest
The match got off to a great, energetic start by Forest. In the 15th minute, Anthony Elanga made a perfectly weighted header into the path of Chris Wood. Composed, the striker looped his shot over Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to give the lead to Forest. It was Wood's 11th of the season, the feat considering that was just a 19th Premier League appearance this term. That clinical finishing of his has been key to Forest's good run of form.
Forest Double Their Advantage
The second half produced little in the way of goalscoring opportunities for the visiting team, while Forest were still seeking more. A well-constructed move released Morgan Gibbs-White to slot the ball calmly past Pickford for a crucial second goal in the 61st minute that ensured victory for Forest, resilient throughout the match and certain now to leave Goodison Park with another important win.
A Steady Performance from Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo's men came into this game confident and in control. From the back four, through Milenkovic and Morato, the visitors kept Everton's forwards from getting into the game, while Gibbs-White and Dominguez orchestrated with pinpoint accuracy. Forest were tight in their organization and managed to press well, not letting Everton get into a comfortable rhythm.
On the other hand, Everton manager Sean Dyche will go away from this one disappointed with his team's performance. Though Everton was off to a good start in the season, the Toffees simply could not get anything going offensively against Forest, failing to break down their backline. The best efforts at goal came courtesy of Broja and Ndiaye, neither of whom made an impact in the final third.
Key Moments and Match Stats
- The opening goal by Chris Wood in the 15th minute was a beauty, showing his killer instinct in front of the net.
The icing on the cake was Morgan Gibbs-White's strike in the 61st minute to seal the points for Forest.
Frustration got the better of Everton, with Tarkowski, Gueye, and Branthwaite booked for aggressive tackles.
Nottingham Forest's backline held strong, while Sels was not particularly troubled, but Wood's presence up front saw Forest take maximum advantage of the chances they got.
What's Next for Both Teams?
This defeat will come as a shock to Everton as they had sought to gain momentum in the league. Manager Sean Dyche now has to find a solution to the attacking inefficiency and work out a way to break down resilient sides like Forest.
On the other side, Nottingham Forest will be pleased with their form in the recent period as they continue to climb the Premier League table. It will be about tactical discipline for Nuno Espirito Santo and clinical finishing by the likes of Wood and Gibbs-White as they try to keep their winning run alive.
Match Facts:
- Everton (4-3-3): Pickford; Young (Patterson 68), Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye (Calvert-Lewin 68), Doucoure; Harrison (Lindstrom 46), Broja (Beto 75), Ndiaye
- Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams (Toffolo 82), Morato, Milenkovic, Aina; Dominguez, Anderson (Ward-Prowse 82); Sosa (Boly 69), Gibbs-White (Silva 76), Elanga; Wood (Awoniyi 76)
- Goals: Wood 15', Gibbs-White 61'
Everton Bookings: Tarkowski, Gueye, Branthwaite, Pickford
Nottingham Forest Booking: Boly
With another important victory to add to their tally, Nottingham Forest continued to impress under Espirito Santo and will look to the next challenge with real confidence. As for Everton, they must quickly regroup and find solutions ahead of their upcoming fixtures.