With a dramatic 4-3 victory at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone and put Southampton in jeopardy.
Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice in the first half under pressure after Everton’s unexpected victory, and even though Carlos Alcaraz pulled a goal back, Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty seemed to put an end to any chance of a comeback by restoring Forest’s two-goal advantage.
Instead, the drama lasted into the second half as Lyanco, a substitute, scored with a header. But after a lovely pass from Gibbs-White, Danilo scored as Southampton pushed for an equaliser. The punishment imposed by James Ward-Prowse was too little, too late.
Steve Cooper’s team is now above Everton, Leicester, and Leeds in 16th place with 33 points, three points above the danger zone. With only three games remaining, Southampton under Ruben Selles are now eight points from safety, and their future is all but certain.
Nottingham Forest escapes relegation zone with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Southampton
With a dramatic 4-3 victory at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone and put Southampton in jeopardy.
Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice in the first half under pressure after Everton’s unexpected victory, and even though Carlos Alcaraz pulled a goal back, Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty seemed to put an end to any chance of a comeback by restoring Forest’s two-goal advantage.
Instead, the drama lasted into the second half as Lyanco, a substitute, scored with a header. But after a lovely pass from Gibbs-White, Danilo scored as Southampton pushed for an equaliser. The punishment imposed by James Ward-Prowse was too little, too late.
Steve Cooper’s team is now above Everton, Leicester, and Leeds in 16th place with 33 points, three points above the danger zone. With only three games remaining, Southampton under Ruben Selles are now eight points from safety, and their future is all but certain.
How Forest won a key match
Nottingham Forest had a shaky beginning and required Felipe’s excellent block to deny Che Adams early on, but the game turned around when Brennan Johnson scored the first goal.
The striker sprinted for Danilo’s pass and squared it for Awoniyi to score first-time past Alex McCarthy. The Nigerian international scored his first goal for the team since January, and just as Southampton appeared to be crumbling, he added a second.
The ball was forced through by Danilo once again as it popped up wonderfully for Awoniyi to drive home on the turn. At that point, there was no longer any tension felt within the stadium, and the atmosphere at the City Ground was euphoric.
Stuart Armstrong capitalised on a pass from the usually outstanding Gibbs-White, centring the ball for Alcaraz to score. The Saints were prepared to do everything to defeat Forest because they were so determined to win.
Unfortunately, they were unable to do so. Johnson kept taking advantage of the space he had behind him and was fouled by Ainsley Maitland-Niles as he attempted to clear the ball. The audience cheered as Gibbs-White placed the penalty down the centre.
If Forest supporters had been expecting a calm second half, those hopes were crushed when Brazilian defender Lyanco headed in a corner from James Ward-Prowse. However, Gibbs-White’s touch at the opposite end provided Danilo with the ball and appeared to end the game, and beyond the 100-minute mark, Forest was still holding on, but they succeeded.
The match pretty much spoke for itself regarding Southampton’s current season: there was a lot of potential and positive signals shown, but the Premier League can be harsh, and their defensive weaknesses were shown. In crucial situations, Forest showed more strength and determination.
On Saturday, May 13, Nottingham Forest’s survival squad travels to London to face Chelsea. After that, they play Arsenal, and the season ends with a game vs. Crystal Palace.
Also this Saturday, Southampton will host Fulham before hosting Brighton and Liverpool to round out the season.
