Nottingham Forest delivered a huge boost to their Champions League hopes with an assertive 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, climbing back into third place in the Premier League.
Starting the day in sixth, Forest arrived in North London with purpose—and it showed. Just five minutes in, Elliot Anderson’s powerful volley took a wicked deflection off Rodrigo Bentancur to wrong-foot Guglielmo Vicario and give the visitors a dream start.
Tottenham, fresh off a midweek Europa League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt, were hoping to carry that momentum into the league. But once again, their domestic struggles resurfaced.
Despite dominating possession, Spurs lacked cutting edge in the final third. Forest punished them again on 16 minutes when Anthony Elanga’s pinpoint cross was met by Chris Wood, who guided a clever header past Vicario for his 19th Premier League goal of the season.
Forest, clinical and compact, soaked up pressure and rarely looked rattled. Mathys Tel missed a golden chance late in the first half, while Richarlison—making his first league start since February—wasted a close-range header.
Spurs’ best chances came in the second half, but Forest stood firm. Harry Toffolo cleared Dejan Kulusevski’s goal-bound effort off the line, and Matz Sels pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Richarlison in the 80th minute.
Though the Brazilian eventually found the net with a header three minutes from time, it proved too little, too late. Forest held on for a statement win—and boos from the home fans met the final whistle.
Forest’s Efficient Attack Puts Europe Within Reach
With a top-five finish currently enough for a Champions League berth, Forest knew they needed a result—and they delivered under pressure.
Possession may not be their game, but Forest’s swift, vertical attack continues to yield results. They created just three shots on target—and converted two of them.
Wood, back on the scoresheet after a brief drought, exemplified the team’s ruthless efficiency. His header marked yet another big moment in a season that continues to defy expectations.
Now firmly back in the top three, Forest’s dream of a return to European football is turning into a very real possibility.
Spurs Slump Deepens Amid Boos and Broken Records
For Tottenham, this marked their 18th league defeat of the campaign—more than any team outside the bottom three. The last time they lost this many in a league season was 2003-04.
Ange Postecoglou’s men lacked urgency for much of the match and only sparked into life when the game was slipping away. While their Europa League campaign offers a glimmer of hope, their domestic form continues to spiral.
With just three games left, Spurs may need continental success to salvage a season that’s been bitterly disappointing on home soil.