Forest breathe life into Champions League hopes as Spurs suffer 18th league defeat
Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Spurs. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
Nottingham Forest's Champions League push is back on again as Nuno Espirito Santo's side reclaimed third spot with a smash-and-grab win that also highlighted the shortcomings of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham.
Just three points now separate the five clubs jostling for the three qualification slots still available but Forest, who ended a two-game losing streak, once more top that mini-league thanks to first-half goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood.
Spurs, who saw Richarlison pull one back late on, will also be in the Champions League next term of course, if they win the Europa League. Astonishingly so given that this was their 18th Premier League defeat this season and they lie 16th in the table.
Postecoglou rested regular picks with next month's semi-final with Norwegian dark horses Bodo/Glimt in mind and although Spurs could claim to be superior overall and especially in the second half, the result won't have made embattled Australian any new friends among an already-divided fanbase.
Forest fans feel nothing but love however for Espirito Santo, the man Spurs sacked after just four months in 2021 for the crime of being ninth.
And on Sunday last term's relegation escapees can enjoy another unexpected bonus in the shape of a Wembley FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, who along with Newcastle, Chelsea and Aston Villa, are a direct rival for a top-five place.
"We have to realise we are in a fight that nobody expected, us included, but we don't want to prove anybody wrong," Espirito Santo said.
"We have a big desire to compete and we are in a mix with big teams so that can only make us proud. As long as we keep this approach, you never know.
"The final minutes were full of anxiety, we were wishing the time to go faster - Tottenham put us against the ropes. We are very proud of the way we reacted."
Forest barely touched the ball in the Spurs box but didn't have to. Their counter-attacking dealt two fatal blows to Spurs before the game was 20 minutes old.
Home goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario batted away Morgan Gibbs-White's long-ranger and Forest used the corner to take a fifth-minute lead.
It took two Spurs men to clear to where Anderson was lurking just outside the box and though hit powerfully his drive required a deflection off Rodrigo Bentancur to outfox Vicario with a bounce right in front of the goalkeeper.
Another shot went through the Italian five minutes later but a sliver of shoulder belonging to 'scorer' Wood was labelled offside by VAR.
Wood's reply was to nod home Anthony Elanga's cross in the 17th minute and again Vicario was culpable, by coming for a punch and failing to connect. It was the striker's first Forest goal in seven games and certainly one of the easiest of his 19 for them so far this season.
Spurs had chances to reduce the arrears but Mathys Tel blazed wide and Richarlison was off target with two headers. Inevitably the half-time whistle was met with home boos.
Postecoglou subbing of centre-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the break, was pre-planned but the latter might already have been off having assaulted Anderson three times in the first half.
Gibbs-White, sent clear by Wood, slashed an opportunity for 3-0 wide before Harry Toffolo, making his first Premier League appearance of 2025, hooked away Dejan Kulusevski's glancing header from Pedro Porro's corner just as it was crossing the line.
Postecoglou sent on Dominic Solanke and ex-Forest forward Brennan Johnson and saw his team pen Forest into their own half for the majority of the remaining minutes.
Matz Sels made two good saves to deny Richarlison before the Brazilian finally found the net in the 87th minute by heading home Porro's cross. Forest held out however.
"It's another game we've lost that we shouldn't have lost and it's been a big part of our season that we have been making things difficult for ourselves," Postecoglou said.
"It's a shame because our football was outstanding but it's another unacceptable loss. It is really frustrating.
"I don't need to say anything to the fans, it's too many losses, we know that. It's something that we need to accept the responsibility that we have fallen short of the standards.
"It's not that we lost because the players chucked it in but again we have paid the price for lacking concentration in key moments. It's a constant in our make-up at the moment."
Vicario 5; Porro 6, Romero 5 (Danso 46, 6), Van de Ven 6 (Davies 46, 6), Spence 6; Kulusevski 6 (Solanke 67, 5), Bentancur 6, Sarr 6 (Bergvall 81); Odobert 5 (Johnson 67, 4), Richarlison 7, Tel 5.
Sels 7; Williams 7, Murillo 7, Milenkovic 7, Toffolo 7; Dominguez 6 (Yates 58, 5), Anderson 7, Danilo 6 (Hudson-Odoi 58, 5); Elanga 6 (Morato 46. 5), Wood 7 (Awoniyi, 75), Gibbs-White 7 (Sosa 90).
Peter Bankes 6
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