Nottingham Forest leapfrogged **Tottenham**in the Premier League table after a comprehensive 3-0 victory in a seismic contest in the relegation fight.
A late header from Igor Jesus in the first period saw the wind taken out of Spurs' sails after some promising work.
The second half, however, was dictated by the Tricky Trees, who added to their lead through Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi.
It is Vitor Pereira's first win since taking charge for the East Midlands side, while his opposite number, Igor Tudor, is still searching for his first domestic win as Tottenham boss and the club's first in 2026.
An Aston Villa win over West Ham means both sides remain outside the drop zone. Forest are now three points clear compared to the Lilywhites' one.
Story of the Match
Spurs made three changes from their Champions League win against Atletico Madrid, with Kevin Danson, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke earning starts. Forest made sweeping changes in their midweek shootout win over Midtjylland, though only one alteration from the last Premier League outing as Omari Hutchinson was recalled.
The rotated line-up looked to have helped early on as the away side started fresher and braver on the ball. Some clever crosses and clips into the penalty area gave the hosts some last ditch defending to do within the opening minutes.
Soon enough, the Lilywhites stepped up. Mathys Tel, who likely kept his place after a bright display on Wednesday, registered their first notable chance. A cross-field ball from Archie Gray was taken down well by the Frenchman, who jinked into the middle before his shot was deflected out.
A pair of Tel-taken corners followed, with the latter seeing Richarlison guide it wide from the back post. Spurs' set piece proficiency almost paid off again as a Danso long throw was nodded onto the frame of the goal, with culprit Igor Jesus breathing a sigh of relief.
As the half hour neared, Tottenham began getting the better of the 50/50s and more gaps started to appear in the Forest half. Richarlison latched onto Djed Spence's through ball. Playing it across goal, striking partner Solanke missed what would have been a tap in, but the flag was waved for offside on the Brazilian in the build-up.
Forest on the other hand were finding it difficult to muster any counters. The tenacious duo of Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson struggled to contain Spurs' transitions, while Morgan Gibbs-White was short of touches. The remedy was going back to what brought them chances at the offset and for most of last season - focusing on the flanks.
Wing play earned a corner in the final minutes of the first half. Anderson's header back into the mix was met acrobatically by Jesus, with Guglielmo Vicario reaching it in time to tip it over.
A second corner came in quick succession and it proved to be even more fruitful. A simple inswinger from Neco Williams flew into a cramped six-yard box. Despite that, Jesus managed to carve out enough space and direct a header into the bottom corner.
In the aftermath, Tel's curling effort was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Mats Sels at the opposite end, but it was visitors who went down the tunnel the happier.
The other Igor in this dogfight - Tudor in the Tottenham dugout - made a few changes at the break to rebuild momentum, though Vitor Pereira's men were not looking to shy away.
Vicario made an important stop from an unmarked Williams merely five minutes after the second half began.
The Italian has so often come up with big saves during his time in north London. Though that was another to add to his catalogue, he would have a more forgettable moment the next time Forest had a big chance.
Callum Hudson-Odoi burst free of Pedro Porro down the left and laid it into the path of Gibbs-White. Johnny-on-the-penalty-spot, the England midfielder side-footed it goalwards as Vicario's attempted parry bobbled underneath him. Again, a white shirt to stop him was nowhere to be seen.
Spurs' half-time substitutes were not as effective as Tudor would have liked as Forest's compact defending prevented any fluidity in the final third. They did eventually link up. Destiny Udogie's low cross found Lucas Bergvall but the Swede could only poke it wide of the mark.
For the Reds, Taiwo Awoniyi made himself much more of a nuisance when subbed on. His energy causing numerous problems for a Spurs backline that looked shot of confidence.
With mere minutes to go in the 90, Williams sent a pinpoint ball into the area, where the Nigerian had a meat and drink finish for a number nine to slide it in for three.
'God is the greatest' read his undervest as he celebrated and it had been an afternoon of miracle work from the Tricky Trees. Spurs, meanwhile, could only look to the heavens and wonder where to go next.
The Wales international's attacking threat in the second half put Tottenham on the backfoot when they were hoping to take control of affairs themselves.
Two assists and a close shave of a chance saw him at the heart of things, with his help in the build-up to Gibbs-White's goal also giving the Lilywhites problems.
He will be hoping to take this form into his nation's crucial World Cup play-offs during the break in league action.