Nottingham Forest

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Chris Wood timed it right to end his goal drought as his 19th of the season in the Premier League helped his side secure a crucial win at Tottenham that boosts Nottingham Forest's Champions League hopes.

The veteran striker has been instrumental to Forest's surprise form this term but the goals had dried up from mid-February and that also threatened to damage his side's push to finish in the top five as back-to-back losses, coupled with the weekend's results for other Europe hopefuls, had seen Forest slip to sixth.

But Wood was back to his best on Monday night with his goal - a deft flicked header over the goalkeeper - making it 2-0 and giving Forest the breathing space they needed.

With five Premier League games remaining, plus an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, Wood's return to scoring could be pivotal to what Forest can achieve this season.

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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says everyone should be proud of what the club have achieved so far this season as they look forward to playing in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Forest have been one of the surprise stories of the season, sitting near the top of the Premier League since the autumn.

And, although back-to-back defeats have raised the possibility of Forest falling at the final hurdle in their quest to finish in the top five, Nuno hopes people can focus on the positives with six games to go.

"It is what everyone should feel," he said. "They should feel proud and committed to the final sprint of the competition.

"I think so. That's why we as a group and as a club are proud to be in this fight.

"In one week's time we will be speaking about another huge moment for us, so we embrace it.

"We are delighted. The criticisms will come, the opinions will come, the doubts will come - and we are here for that."

Nottingham Forest are the counter-attack kings and they have the tools to get another win like the one they got over Spurs at the City Ground in December, where they had 30% of possession but won 1-0.

Forest have hit a bit of a blip of late, though, and they don't appear to be quite the same force they were a few weeks ago.

They are desperate for a win to get their top-five bid back on track and Nuno Espirito Santo's would love to get it on his return to Tottenham, where he did not last long as manager, but a draw feels more likely to me.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

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Tottenham have lost 17 Premier League matches in 2024-25, their most in a single season since the 2003-04 campaign (19). Ange Postecoglou is one of three managers to lose 17 or more games in a season, alongside Osvaldo Ardiles in 1993-94 (19) and Gerry Francis in 1996-97 (18).

Nottingham Forest have lost their past two Premier League matches, after winning three consecutive games beforehand. The Reds have only fallen to three defeats in a row once under Nuno Espirito Santo, doing so between February and March last season.

Nottingham Forest are planning to open new contract talks with winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. (Football Insider), external

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Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game at Tottenham (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nuno confirmed Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi did not train with the squad on Thursday and will have to be assessed before Monday's game as they are "still carrying some problems".

• On Chris Wood, who returned from injury as a substitute in the loss to Everton on Saturday: "We have to manage Chris. He has been out for a while. Everton was good but not as good as we want. We are positive that on Monday he will be better."

• Nuno is focused on his side after two defeats in a row and positive results for the teams around them: "The blow is we were not able to perform as well as we wish, especially in the last game. That was the blow. In regards to the other teams, nothing has changed since the last weeks. It is in our hands and we cannot control them. Now it is about reacting and improving."

• On embracing expectations: "The expectation around us started the moment we were able to perform and get results. We are delighted, we embrace the challenge. We're not stepping back, we're stepping in. We want to try to get it. It's going to be very hard but, believe me, we are putting everything in this final stage of the season."

• When asked about Spurs' big Europa League quarter-final second leg at Frankfurt on Thursday, Nuno said: "We are going to watch the game. It's a big game and, for us, for analysis. It will determine what we expect for the Monday night line-up. Our focus is on that."

• On pressure on Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou: "All managers, we face the same. It's up to us to try to ignore and focus on the job we can control. Like me, like Ange, like all the managers in the world, what we can control is preparing our players."

• On having a clear week to prepare for Spurs: "It was good. Many of them are struggling with some situations. A clear week was good for us because it allowed us to recover the players and not push them immediately after a big effort."

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Saveena Johal
Fan writer

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Nottingham Forest's chances of European football might have been statistically higher a few weeks ago but we are a club excellent at breaking the norms when it comes to statistics. Sitting in the top four with such low possession per game is a reflection of this.

The fanbase appears largely divided, though. Some seem despondent about recent games, others remain hopeful while holding on to the perspective gained from recent seasons. My thoughts sit within the latter group.

Achieving European football in any capacity would still be a huge success in my eyes. That said, we continue to strive for a Champions League place.

Our record against Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United this season deems us worthy.

The players are under a different sort of pressure than they have grown accustomed to; fighting for the top five following a relegation escape one season prior. That, in itself, is something that still feels unfathomable, and is all the more reason we should be proud of how far the team has come.

The narrative this season has been the scarily slim gaps at the top end of the table. With just three points separating us and seventh place, every game matters. Letting go of a point in the dying minutes of a game hurts far more for this reason.

Picking up points on the road will be crucial, and there is nothing to say this can't be done on Monday against Spurs. In their current form, Tottenham should not be feared.

While a loss in concentration cost us over the weekend, there is always a period of rejuvenation with Forest - the famous bounceback we should be more than familiar with now, especially after the Brighton match.

Now is not the time to be feeling dejected. We have an FA Cup trophy and a Champions League place yet to play for.

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I saw Nottingham Forest's defeat at Aston Villa and I actually do not think much has changed in terms of what they do.

Certainly that second half, they were very good. When you look at the stats from both that defeat and the loss to Everton last weekend, they were pretty even and pretty much the same as what we have seen from from Forest all season.

They had been more clinical in previous games, and got results from low possession and minimal shots on target.

I remember saying early on, and midway through the season, that they have to remain clinical because that is why they are in the position they are.

Being without Chris Wood has not helped but I do not think they have done much different. Forest are in a position that has maybe surprised themselves but they are riding the wave.

It is exciting for them and they still have a great chance to reach the Champions League.

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Nuno's team have a good game to bounce back at the weekend against Tottenham, who will have played a big game in Europe. They then have some home fixtures that are more than winnable for them, so I they are still in a good position.

It has been a small blip if anything and Forest fans will still be in dreamland with their season and where they have come from in battling relegation last year.

From a player's point of view, it is a completely different kind of pressure from fighting to stay in the league and then being in a position to achieve something so unexpected.

Most will have never been there, but the pressure is definitely not coming from in-house.

It is difficult but I do not see Forest slipping up enough to not get into the Champions League.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

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Former Nottingham Forest defender Brian Laws says the remaining six games of the Premier League season will be a "massive test" for Nuno Espirito Santo's side after their "blooper" against Everton last weekend.

The 1-0 defeat has bunched up the Premier League table somewhat, with only three points now separating Nottingham Forest in fourth and Aston Villa in seventh.

Speaking on BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast, Laws admitted that some of the clubs looking to get over the line and secure European football for next season are currently "on a high".

"It is going to be about who holds their nerve best - that's for sure," he added. "It will be a massive test for Forest because the chasing clubs are on a high.

"Newcastle United are playing off the back of winning the Carabao Cup. It is like they have come alive and that is a worry because it looks like they can go on and continue in that way.

"It has been like a new lease of life and it has kickstarted them probably at the most crucial time - in the last six or seven games - so they are a worry.

"Manchester City are absolutely bubbling. Chelsea have got class in their team and you know that on any given day they can win a game, but they do also have a blooper in them.

"I didn't think Forest had a blooper in them, so that Everton defeat has hurt a bit."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

The latest Shut Up And Show More Football podcast has landed.

David Jackson and Colin Fray are joined by former Nottingham Forest defender Brian Laws to discuss how the Reds' final six-games compare with other teams also battling it out for a Champions League spot.

Plus former Nottingham Forest midfielder Andy Reid talks about his current role in the club's academy, where he is working alongside Wes Morgan, Lewis Grabban and Julian Bennett.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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Full-time at the City Ground on Saturday was subdued in a way we have not experienced in a while. There was little applause, yet no booing, just a quiet sense of disbelief following Everton's last-gasp winner.

As the crowds shuffled out, the sunny weather barely reflecting anyone's mood, that sense of disbelief has shifted from the surreal feeling of being third in the Premier League for so long to the real battle to cling to a dream we never thought possible.

The fight for Champions League qualification is well and truly on. While a fifth place might have been guaranteed last week, following Arsenal's dramatic win over Real Madrid, we have been dragged into a slog with Manchester City, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Chelsea we had so far avoided.

Several of those sides have yet to face each other in the run-in and, with six games to go, a lot can still happen. But maybe this suits Forest. Maybe being the underdog is what our current mentality desires. Maybe we just have a blip to get through before returning to the form we have had most of this season.

You cannot win every game in the Premier League and, as I have often said, you learn more from defeat than victory. The drive and determination from Nuno Espirito Santo and his squad has been clear for all to see in this campaign and it is pretty obvious what the players will be feeling right now.

Forest do not do things the easy way, so why would we change now? Everyone at the club has been pulling in the same direction for such a long time, it feels like whatever happens now there will not be a quiet finish to any of the remaining matches at the City Ground this season.

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We asked for your views on Everton's win at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Here are some of your comments:

Forest fans

Al: Slow in thought, play, process, everything. The worst Forest performance I've seen this season. No complaints about the result, Everton did a job on us and actually looked like they were hungrier than us.

Andy: Forest looked like a team of strangers. It must have been a record the amount of second balls we didn't even challenge for. Nuno needs to tell them that they're not on the beach yet. Poor.

Jacob: Forest looked like the long season has been catching up with them. Elanga, Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi were not at their best and an uncharacteristic mistake from Murillo for the goal. They're going to have to dig deep for the rest of the season to keep their coveted league position.

Everton fans

Paul: Great result and well deserved, Moyes really has put the belief back in the club. Watching that game, you'd think it was Everton who were third not Forest. We need to add more quality in the final third, if we do that we can really push on next season.

Dan: Thoroughly deserved and a really comfortable afternoon of football. Everton never let Forest get going, though I thought they were poor and fear for their Champions League participation after that performance. I will be interested to see what happens to Everton under Moyes next season.

Kobe: Amazing game from Everton. In the away end for my first ever game - amazing sound and atmosphere from us and we deserved to win. What an end! This is why we love this game and this club.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton

• Arsenal 1-1 Brentford