Everton 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Hosts win Premier League relegation six-pointer

Idrissa Gueye's goal was his first in the Premier League since 11 November when he scored a late winner in a 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace

Everton took an important step towards Premier League survival with victory over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in a controversial affair at Goodison Park.

Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil scored with long-range efforts in each half to settle the battle between the two clubs who have suffered Premier League points deductions this season - with appeals pending that could still shape their fate as the campaign reaches its climax.

Everton have now moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on Luton Town but Forest remain deep in trouble, only a point ahead of the Hatters.

Forest, however, were left fuming by referee Anthony Taylor ignoring three penalty appeals, including when Ashley Young handled in the closing moments of the opening half and then when the veteran tangled with Callum Hudson-Odoi as he raced in on goal in the second period.

After the match, Forest sent out a strongly-worded post on social media platform X, criticising "three extremely poor decisions" and the appointment of Stuart Attwell as video assistant referee for the game.

BBC Sport is contacting the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the English professional referees' body, for a response.

Everton broke the deadlock after 29 minutes when Gueye fired low past Matz Sels, only his second goal in a century of attempts from outside the area, with McNeil settling the destiny of the points when he drilled home via the post from 25 yards with 14 minutes left.

• 'Some light at end of very dark tunnel for Everton'

• How did you rate Everton's performance? Have your say here

• What did you make of Forest's display? Send us your views here

There were worrying scenes in stoppage time when Everton striker Beto went down after an aerial challenge with Morgan Gibbs-White.

He lay motionless and the game was stopped for eight minutes while he received treatment before he was taken away on a stretcher. He did, however, appear to gesture to the Everton supporters as he was leaving the pitch.

Everton bounce back from embarrassment

Everton needed an instant response after the humiliation of Monday's 6-0 loss at Chelsea and while, apart from the two goals, it was not a performance to earn points for artistic merit, it earned points of a far more significant kind as the Toffees once again find themselves embroiled in a fight against relegation.

They were thankful for an outstanding save by England keeper Jordan Pickford from Forest striker Chris Wood with the score 1-0 and those controversial moments when Young escaped conceding penalties.

Everton, however, showed the battling qualities that were absent at Stamford Bridge, took the chances they had and cashed in on the moments of good fortune afforded to them.

It was not a game of any serious quality, which was hardly to be expected between two struggling teams in a tense situation, but this is immaterial at this stage of the season.

Jarrad Branthwaite demonstrated once again why he is so highly regarded as Everton kept Forest at bay, enabling Sean Dyche's side to make a winning start to a week that could yet define their season, with a Merseyside derby to come against Liverpool at Goodison Park on Wednesday and another home game against Brentford next Saturday evening.

Forest deep in trouble

Nottingham Forest will feel deeply aggrieved about decisions that went against them at crucial stages of a tight game, but the bottom line is that they are now even deeper in the relegation fight after a defeat that allowed Everton to move four points clear of Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Forest had neat possession on occasions and Wood will feel he should have drawn Forest level, with Gibbs-White also sending a finish carelessly wide when he should have equalised in the second half.

In the end, they were undone by those strikes from Gueye and McNeil to leave Forest and manager Nuno looking anxiously ahead to their closing games while still hoping to get some respite from their appeal against the deduction of four points for breaching profit and sustainability rules.

Forest face reigning Premier League champions Manchester City next at the City Ground and will need to find more cutting edge from somewhere to ensure their battle to stay in the top flight is successful.