Nottingham Forest made it six Premier League wins in a row with a 3-0 win over Wolves at Molineux.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s deflected strike against his former club silenced the home crowd early on and though Jorgen Strand Larsen had a trio of good chances to level it for Vitor Pereira’s side it was the clinical Chris Wood who doubled the lead before half-time.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s stoppage-time goal made it three to seal a sixth consecutive Premier League win taking Nuno Espirito Santo’s side level with Arsenal and leave their jubilant supporters dreaming of Champions League next season.
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Morgan Gibbs-White haunts his former club after giving Forest the lead at Molineux
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Chris Wood doubles Nottingham Forest’s lead
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Taiwo Awoniyi adds a third late on
Wolves would settle for retaining their Premier League status. This defeat, Pereira’s first since taking over, albeit with a squad depleted of important players such as the suspended Matheus Cunha, leaves them out of the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Forest’s red machine rolls on
Matz Sels was magnificent for Forest, pulling off some special saves to keep his clean sheet, so that tells you that Nuno’s men did not have this all their own way. But it was no great surprise that they retained control of this game from Gibbs-White’s goal onwards.
The England international, in front of the watching England boss Thomas Tuchel, gave Forest the advantage and they never relinquished it. That is what this team does now. Confident and mature, they are comfortable with the football and without it.
Wood did not have the chances that Strand Larsen enjoyed but he did not need them. The Forest supporters chanted towards the end of the game that they are coming for Liverpool. Why not? This victory moves them within six points of the Premier League leaders.
Nuno dodges talk of a title race
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s exchange in the press conference:
Q: It is Liverpool next. Are you in a title race?
A: “We play Luton in the FA Cup at the City Ground, which is huge for us. It’s a good chance for us. I’m sorry to not answer your direct question, but this is the reality.
“We must prepare well. The FA Cup is important, it’s a good chance for us to give minutes to everybody, because it’s going to be a very, very long season.
“We need all the players with minutes, with fitness, with rhythm. So first, Luton.”
Q: The rest of the country is looking at the league table at the moment. When do you think you might?
A: “I don’t know, maybe at the end of the season. Probably I’ll take a look.”
Q: At the end of the season?
A: “Yeah, yeah.”
Q: “Not when you’re in the Champions League spot, not four games from the end?
A: “No, at the end of the season. At the end of the season, I’ll take a look. I promise you guys that I’ll take a look at it.”
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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says his side haven’t achieved anything yet
Weakened Wolves well short
Wolves have been better under Pereira but the scale of the task still facing him is a little clear for the Portuguese after this showing, the lack of depth in the squad obvious. With three of their four senior centre-backs injured, Wolves were well short at the back.
They were also without captain Nelson Semedo and star midfielder Andre for this one as well as, of course, their standout performer this season in Cunha. In the absence of so many key players, perhaps this was a spirited effort by Wolves.
Cunha is expected to be back for the next Premier League fixture against Newcastle but Pereira will need a lot more than that. Defenders are believed to be incoming, Emmanuel Agbadou among them. Pereira will be hoping they can make the difference.
