Nottingham Forest Beat Tottenham 2-1 to Boost Champions League Hopes and Pile Pressure on Postecoglou
Nottingham Forest bounced back from two consecutive defeats to claim a vital 2-1 win over struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, strengthening their push for a Champions League spot and increasing the pressure on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
Forest arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sitting sixth in the table following losses to Aston Villa and Everton. But early goals from Elliot Anderson and leading scorer Chris Wood gave them a comfortable cushion. Despite a late header from Richarlison, Forest held on for the win and climbed to third place in the Premier League standings.
With Liverpool leading the title race and Arsenal expected to finish second, the battle for the remaining Champions League spots remains intense. Only three points now separate third-placed Forest from seventh-placed Aston Villa, with five matches left to play.
Forest opened the scoring just five minutes in when Anderson’s deflected shot found the net following a corner. Wood thought he had doubled the lead shortly after, but his goal was ruled out for offside by VAR.
However, the New Zealand striker didn’t have to wait long to make it count—he made it 2-0 in the 16th minute, heading home a cross from Anthony Elanga.
Despite dominating possession and producing more attempts, Tottenham lacked cutting edge for much of the game. Forest nearly extended their lead early in the second half when Wood set up Morgan Gibbs-White, but the midfielder missed the target.
Forest defender Harry Toffolo made a crucial goal-line clearance with an acrobatic overhead kick to deny Dejan Kulusevski after the hour mark.
Postecoglou responded by introducing former Forest winger Brennan Johnson and striker Dominic Solanke with 25 minutes remaining.
Spurs intensified the pressure in the final stages. Matz Sels produced a brilliant fingertip save to deny Richarlison with around 10 minutes to play. The Brazilian finally found the net in the 87th minute, powering a header home from Pedro Porro’s cross—but Forest held firm to secure the three points.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised his team’s resilience, acknowledging the intense pressure applied by the hosts.
“It’s about getting through it—especially at this point in the season with physical and mental fatigue, and anxiety setting in,” Nuno told Sky Sports. “We were against the ropes at times, but the team stood strong.”
Nuno, whose side face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend, emphasized the importance of the upcoming fixtures.
“These moments don’t come around often, especially when you’re competing in a league like this for something no one expected,” he added.
Forest, who narrowly avoided relegation last season by finishing 17th, are two-time European champions but have not appeared in Europe’s top club competition since the 1980/81 season.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s 18th league defeat of the season leaves them just two places above the relegation zone. However, Postecoglou still has a chance to secure Champions League football via the Europa League.
Spurs face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals next month. The winner of the competition secures automatic qualification for the 2025/26 Champions League.
A frustrated Postecoglou admitted his side dominated large spells of the match but were undone by defensive lapses.
“We conceded poor goals and gave ourselves a mountain to climb,” said the Australian coach, whose side now prepare to visit league leaders Liverpool on Sunday. “Right now, the focus shifts to the Europa League—it’s our best route into next season’s Champions League.”
Elsewhere, fifth-placed Manchester City host Aston Villa on Tuesday in another crucial top-four clash