Report

Forest move three points clear of danger with win over Fulham

2 Apr 2024
Nottingham Forest v Fulham

Nuno's side earn first win in six matches after stunning first-half display

Related Articles
Shortlist revealed for 2024 Hall of Fame inductees
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Fulham External Link
Forest defeat Fulham External Link

Nottingham Forest secured a much-needed victory in their battle against relegation with a 3-1 home win over Fulham.

The damage was done in a devastating first-half attacking display as the hosts went into half-time with a three-goal lead.

Goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White put Forest in the driving seat and they held on after the break to pick up their first win in six league games.

Tosin Adarabioyo’s early second-half goal threatened an unlikely Fulham comeback but, despite some pressure from the west London side, Nuno Espirito Santo collected his fourth league win as Forest boss to take his side three points clear of the relegation zone.

The relegation battle

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
15 Everton EVE 38 -11 40
16 Brentford BRE 38 -9 39
17 Nott'm Forest NFO 38 -18 32
18 Luton LUT 38 -33 26
19 Burnley BUR 38 -37 24
20 Sheffield Utd SHU 38 -69 16
View More
How the match unfolded

Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring for the home side in the ninth minute with a powerful strike across the goalkeeper that found the bottom corner after he had cleverly cut inside Fulham full-back Kenny Tete.

The former Chelsea youngster ran onto a fine through-ball from Gibbs-White on the halfway line before scoring his fifth league goal of the season – four of which have come at the City Ground.

In setting up the opener, Gibbs-White posted an assist for a third successive Premier League appearance, his best run in the competition.

Hudson Odoi goal

Forest made it 2-0 just 10 minutes later through top scorer Wood. The New Zealand international picked up Murillo’s pass with his back to goal 25 yards out before turning and curling his shot past a motionless Bernd Leno.

It was an unusual goal for Wood in that it was just his third Premier League strike from outside the box out of 66 scored in total.

Such was Forest’s dominance that Fulham boss Silva felt forced to make a triple substitution in the 33rd minute, with Tom Cairney, Willian and Adama Traore replacing Sasa Lukic, Alex Iwobi and Harry Wilson.

This was the earliest in a Premier League game that a team had made three substitutions since Stoke City did so against Sunderland in February 2009 after just 30 minutes.

But it made little difference as Gibbs-White scored a third in first-half stoppage time. After clever play from Danilo, the midfielder stroked the ball past Leno to net his fourth league goal of the campaign.

Gibbs White goal

Fulham came out fighting in the second half, scoring just four minutes after the break via defender Adarabioyo.

The 26-year-old headed past Matz Sels after beating his marker to Andreas Pereira’s corner to score his third Premier League goal, two of which have come at the City Ground after also netting in Fulham’s 3-2 win last season.

Tosin goal

But Adarabioyo’s goal failed to spark a second-half comeback, with Forest securing a valuable win in the quest for Premier League safety.

Fulham drop to 13th after AFC Bournemouth beat Crystal Palace

The race for Europe

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
7 Newcastle NEW 38 +23 60
8 Man Utd MUN 38 -1 60
9 West Ham WHU 38 -14 52
10 Crystal Palace CRY 38 -1 49
11 Brighton BHA 38 -7 48
12 Bournemouth BOU 38 -13 48
13 Fulham FUL 38 -6 47
View More
Club reports

Forest report | Fulham report

Next Premier League fixtures
Key facts

Nottingham Forest’s 3-0 lead over Fulham at half-time was their joint-biggest in the Premier League, after leading Ipswich Town 4-1 in December 1994 and Leeds United 3-0 in March 1995.

Only Ian Woan (5) has both scored and assisted in more different Premier League games for Nottingham Forest than Morgan Gibbs-White (4), while he’s now provided an assist in each of his last three league appearances for the Tricky Trees.

Andreas Pereira has seven assists from dead balls since the since the start of last season in the Premier League for Fulham, with only James Ward-Prowse recording more during that time.

Fulham have conceded at least three goals in successive Premier League games for the first time since March 2023, while they’ve won just one of their last 15 away league matches (D5 L9).

Latest Videos

More Videos

Video is currently not available.

07 Oct 2024

Is Bukayo Saka a world-class player?

Ian Wright says Arsenal's star is unstoppable but Shay Given suggests he's missing one thing to be compared to the likes of Ronaldo, Messi and Maradona

Your details have been submitted successfully.

You have already entered this competition. Please check your email for further information.

Your details have been submitted successfully.

Create a Premier League account

Continue

You are logged in as

Enter your details to submit your entry.