Nottingham Forest moved within one point of the Champions League places with one game to go as they toppled West Ham United 2-1.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side went into their final away game of the season having already secured their place in Europe for next term. But to have any chance of keeping their top-five hopes alive until the final day, they knew they really needed to beat the Hammers.
The Reds got off to the perfect start in the hunt for three points as they took the lead with just 11 minutes on the clock. Morgan Gibbs-White had already forced one save from Alphonse Areola, but the England international made no mistake when presented with a second opportunity as he finished with aplomb after latching on to a sloppy pass from the Hammers goalkeeper.
It hadn’t been all Forest in the opening minutes, though. The visitors had been indebted to a couple of big saves from Matz Sels before Gibbs-White’s opener.
Chris Wood hit the post with a header as Forest tried to build on their lead before the break. The front man was then twice denied on the stroke of half-time, although the offside flag subsequently went up.
The Reds finally got a second goal just past the hour mark, albeit after a lengthy VAR check for a potential offside. Nikola Milenkovic had got the final touch from an Anthony Elanga free-kick to double his team’s advantage.
Jarrod Bowen set up a nervy final when he pulled one back for the hosts with four minutes to go but the visitors hung on to claim a potentially important victory.
Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players in the capital.
Matz Sels: Had worked so hard to put himself in contention for another clean-sheet in the battle for the golden glove. Made some superb saves but could do little about Bowen’s strike. Rating: 8/10
Ola Aina: Had to get through a fair bit of work as West Ham put in plenty of crosses. Generally did his job effectively, though. Always such a key figure for the Reds. Rating: 7.5/10
Nikola Milenkovic: Must have been a little concerned his fifth goal of the season was going to get ruled out when it took VAR five-plus minutes to carry out their check. Could prove to be an important one in Forest’s season. Rating: 8/10
Murillo: Looked like it might have been his season over when he was carted off at the break after hurting his ankle. Had been a big boost to have him back from a hamstring problem in the first place. Showed his warrior spirit to continue for the second half. Rating: 8/10
Neco Williams: Probably won’t be happy with Bowen getting the better of him for his goal. Not necessarily the Welshman’s best performance, but then he has set particularly high standards for himself of late. Rating: 7/10
Ibrahim Sangare: Has really built up a head of steam with his performances these last few games. Ending the season in the starting XI and in fine form. Played some delightful passes once again. Rating: 8.5/10
Get breaking Forest news sent direct to your phone
Join our Nottingham Forest WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from the NottinghamshireLive Reds writers.
We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Reds stories. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click 'Exit Group'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you are curious, you can click here to read our Privacy Notice.
Elliot Anderson: A busy afternoon for the midfielder. Took a little while to get into the game but then more than played his part for the visitors. Has been quite the season for him. Rating: 8/10
Anthony Elanga: Notched up his 11th Premier League assist of the campaign when he teed up Milenkovic with an inviting free-kick - equalling a club record for a single Premier League season, set by Bryan Roy in 1994/95. Some feat. Rating: 8/10
Morgan Gibbs-White: Excellent finish to get on the scoresheet for the second game in succession. Lovely touch to dedicate his goal to injured teammate Taiwo Awoniyi by holding up the striker’s shirt. A proper captain’s performance. Rating: 8.5/10
Nicolas Dominguez: The Argentine’s versatility has proved incredibly useful this season. Always does a job wherever he is asked to play - and usually does it pretty well. Another tireless outing. Rating: 8/10
Chris Wood: Worked hard throughout and had a few sights of goal in the first half but wasn’t able to add to his tally on this occasion. Looked tired by the end after putting in a big shift. Rating: 7/10
Substitutes
Morato (for Sangare, 83mins): Perhaps could have done better with a header just before Bowen put the ball in the net. It hasn’t been an easy couple of outings for the Brazilian. Rating: 5/10
Callum Hudson-Odoi (for Anderson, 83mins): Good to see the winger back from a hamstring injury. He could have a big part to play on the final day. Rating: 6/10
Danilo (for Gibbs-White, 83mins): Tricky to make much of an impact as Forest came under a bit of pressure towards the end. Did his best to help the visitors when they were under the cosh. Rating: 7/10
Ryan Yates (for Dominguez, 90+5mins): Did his best to gee up the away end in the closing minutes as the Reds looked to hang on. Always leads by example. Rating: 7/10
Jota Silva (for Elanga, 90+5mins): Got stuck in amid a nervy finale. Tried to help his team run down the clock, but it wasn’t always easy. Rating: 7/10
Not used: Miguel, Toffolo, Sosa, Abbott.
How would you rate the Reds against West Ham? Click HERE to have your say