Nottingham Forest let it slip in the Champions League race with defeat at the City Ground.
Everton dominated most of the encounter, and their increased intensity in the second half yielded rewards late in the game when Abdoulaye Doucoure turned in a Dwight McNeil delivery to help Everton win 1-0.
The Tricky Trees sit third in the Premier League standings, and a victory would have taken them to the 60-point milestone, five more than Manchester City in 4th, six more than Villa in 5th and seven more than Chelsea in 6th, although the Blues have a game in hand.
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16:03 - 12.04.2025
Thierry Henry inspired me - Ola Aina’s Forest teammate credits Arsenal legend for transformation
A Nottingham Forest star has paid tribute to Thierry Henry for the turnaround in his game.
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Forest coach blames Awoniyi's absence for Aston Villa defeat
Nottingham Forest coach analysed their defeat to Aston Villa with respect to Taiwo Awoniyi.
With the defeat, they are now within touching distance of all three clubs, with a two, three, and four-point gap above the clubs mentioned above. Then there is Newcastle, who are 7th with 53 points, but with two games fewer than Forest on 57.
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The game in brief
Neither team failed to sustain a spell of possession in the first-half, with both sides deploying pragmatic setups. Everton had more of the ball in that half, however, but struggled to create scoring chances.
David Moyes made some tweaks to his side at half time, and after the break, the Toffees showed more urgency, nearly scoring through Iliman Ndiaye before Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels made a crucial save.
Forest briefly came alive in the final 30 minutes, but Morgan Gibbs-White's shot was comfortably saved. As frustration grew among the home fans, Everton continued to press, and their persistence paid off in fine fashion.
A counterattack from a Forest corner caught the hosts off guard, and Abdoulaye Doucoure calmly slotted the ball into the near post after a McNeil delivery, securing a stunning 1-0 win for the visitors.