Nottm Forest 1-0 Tottenham (26 Dec 2024) Match Analysis

Nottingham Forest continued their challenge for a Premier League top-4 position as Anthony Elangas goal in the first half secured a 1-0 victory Tottenham Hotspur to put them in third place on Thursday.

Elanga finished off a superb Forest counter-attack in the 28th minute to settle a game which Tottenham ended with 10 men after former Forest player Djed Spence was sent off.

The result provisionally moved Forest up to third place with 34 points, while Tottenham’s fourth defeat in five Premier League games left them in 11th place with 23 points from 18 matches.

Tottenham had edged the opening exchanges with the former Forest winger Brennan Johnson close for the visitors, but the hosts struck in devastating fashion.

When Tottenham lost possession on the edge of the Forest area, the ball was played for Morgan Gibbs-White who split the visitors’ defense with a superb pass and Elanga beat the goalkeeper Fraser Forster with a dexterous finish.

Ritchie Sumpter/Nottingham Forest FC via Getty Images

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It was enough for Forest to win a third successive top flight for the first time since 1995 and was particularly sweet for manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked by Tottenham three years ago.

Forest have more points than they managed all of last season when they flirted with relegation.

Tottenham are 11 points behind Forest, and the pressure will surely increase on manager Ange Postecoglou.

His team had chances before the break as well Matz Sels twice denied Johnson and Son Heung-min hit the side netting with a free-kick shortly before the break.

However, Tottenham were toothless after the break and their frustration was summed up when Spence was shown a second yellow card deep into stoppage time.