Nottingham Forest responded emphatically to their Champions League rivals’ weekend wins, securing a crucial 2-1 victory over Tottenham to reignite their push for a top-five finish.
Despite slipping to sixth after Manchester City, Chelsea, and Aston Villa all claimed victories, Forest delivered a resilient performance in the capital. Early goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood put them in control, and though Spurs created numerous chances, Richarlison’s 87th-minute header proved nothing more than a consolation.
From Relegation Battlers to European Contenders
Just last season, Forest needed a final-day win at Burnley to survive relegation. Now, under Nuno Espírito Santo, they’ve transformed into genuine European hopefuls. Wood’s 19th goal of the campaign—a clinical header from Anthony Elanga’s cross—sealed the win, sending them into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City in high spirits.
Nuno, however, remained grounded. “First, we must recognize that we’re in a fight nobody expected—us included,” he said. “But this isn’t about proving anyone wrong. It’s about us. We have a strong desire to compete, and the players are enjoying it. To be in the mix against these big clubs makes us proud.”
“We embrace the challenge,” he added. “This is a massive week—we’re going to Wembley to face a top side, and there are many games ahead. If we maintain this approach, who knows what’s possible?”
Forest’s Fast Start and Defensive Grit
Forest struck early when Anderson’s deflected effort wrong-footed Guglielmo Vicario in the fifth minute. Wood doubled the lead just 12 minutes later, sneaking between Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to nod home Elanga’s cross.
Tottenham dominated possession and chances, but poor finishing cost them. Mathys Tel and Richarlison wasted first-half opportunities, while Dejan Kulusevski’s second-half header was miraculously cleared off the line by Harry Toffolo. Goalkeeper Matz Sels then denied Richarlison twice before the Brazilian finally scored from a Pedro Porro cross—but it was too late to spark a comeback.
Nuno Praises Team Spirit
“The final minutes were full of anxiety,” Nuno admitted. “Spurs pushed us hard, but I’m proud of how we competed. We started strong, took our chances, and showed resilience. Matz (Sels) was outstanding, Toffolo made a crucial clearance—that’s the spirit we need.”
With momentum building, Forest now turn their attention to Wembley, where another upset could be on the cards.
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