The well-oiled machine led by Nuno Espírito Santo continued to make waves, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. By halftime, Nottingham Forest was already 3-0 up against Ipswich Town, with the opposing team struggling to keep up. It all started at the 35-minute mark, when defender Milenkovic made a stunning run into the opponent’s box, scoring with a shot that would put many forwards to shame. The goal was a result of a corner kick, and it was just the beginning of a Scrooge-like giving from Forest.
Two minutes later, Forest struck again, this time with a lightning-fast counterattack led by Anthony Elanga. The winger, who came through the Manchester United youth ranks, showcased his class, finishing with ease after a series of swift passes. And Elanga wasn’t done yet – at the 41-minute mark, he scored his second goal of the match, thanks to a perfectly weighted pass from Milenkovic and a clever decoy run by Wood. Three goals in under ten minutes had Forest cruising towards victory, but the match would take an interesting turn in the second half.
The 81st minute proved to be a pivotal moment, as Cajuste scored a stunning goal to reduce Ipswich’s deficit. However, this was also the moment when Jota Silva entered the fray, and the winger needed only three minutes to make his mark. A quick transition started by Yates, followed by a pinpoint pass from Gibbs-White, allowed the former Vitória SC player to finish with ice in his veins. Although Hirst would later reduce the score, Ipswich’s fourth consecutive Premier League defeat was all but sealed. Meanwhile, Forest secured their second consecutive win, piling pressure on Arsenal, who don’t play until Sunday, and inadvertently lending a helping hand to Vítor Pereira.
Wolverhampton’s 2-1 win over Southampton allowed them to capitalize on Ipswich’s loss, extending their lead to nine points over the relegation zone. José Sá, Nélson Semedo, and Toti Gomes started the match, while Gonçalo Guedes made an impact off the bench, but the day belonged to Strand Larsen. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring with a beautiful header in the 18th minute and doubled the lead with a clinical finish in the 46th minute. Although Southampton, who started with Mateus Fernandes as a false nine, pulled one back in the 74th minute courtesy of Paul Onuachu, the Writing is on the wall – with only nine points from 29 games, the Saints are staring at the very real possibility of Championship football next season.
A Familiar Face Returns to Goodison Park
The match at Goodison Park ended in a thrilling draw, with Everton salvaging a point in the dying embers of the game. O’Brein pounced on a pinpoint cross from Gueye, who had responded to a brilliant pass from Carlos Alcaraz, to score in the nick of time. In his first encounter against West Ham since leaving the Hammers at the end of last season, David Moyes opted to start Beto up front and introduced Youssef Chermiti for the final eleven minutes. West Ham had taken the lead in the 67th minute through a beautifully placed shot by Soucek, but ultimately failed to capitalize on their advantage and had to settle for a single point.