Forest Extend Unbeaten Streak with Narrow Victory Over Saints
Nottingham Forest secured a hard-fought 3-2 win over bottom-placed Southampton at the City Ground on Sunday, moving level on points with second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League table.
Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Chris Wood found the net for Forest, but a spirited second-half comeback from Southampton—including goals from Jan Bednarek and Paul Onuachu—made for a nervy finish.
Forest’s victory extends their unbeaten streak to eight matches, the club’s longest run since 1995, while Southampton remain rooted to the bottom, 10 points away from safety.
Match Recap: Forest Dominate but Saints Fight Back
First Half: Forest Take Control
- 14′ – Elliot Anderson Opens the Scoring
- The Newcastle loanee struck from outside the box, curling a brilliant effort past Aaron Ramsdale to give the hosts an early lead.
- Nottingham Forest 1-0 Southampton
- 27′ – Hudson-Odoi Doubles the Lead
- The winger cut inside and fired a stunning long-range effort into the top corner, leaving Ramsdale helpless.
- Nottingham Forest 2-0 Southampton
- 41′ – Wood Heads Home Forest’s Third
- Ola Aina delivered a perfect cross, and Chris Wood nodded it past Ramsdale for his 14th league goal of the season.
- Nottingham Forest 3-0 Southampton – complete dominance heading into halftime.
Half-Time Score: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Southampton
Second Half: Southampton’s Fightback Falls Short
- 60′ – Bednarek Pulls One Back
- Lesley Ugochukwu’s shot was flicked past Matz Sels by Bednarek, giving the Saints hope.
- Nottingham Forest 3-1 Southampton
- 64′ – VAR Denies Forest’s Fourth
- Milenkovic’s header was spilled by Ramsdale into his own net, but VAR ruled it out for a foul in the buildup.
- 90+2′ – Onuachu Sets Up a Nervy Finish
- The substitute capitalized on a defensive lapse to slot home and make it 3-2 in stoppage time.
- Full-Time: Forest Hold On for the Win
Final Score: Nottingham Forest 3-2 Southampton
Player Ratings & Analysis
Nottingham Forest (4-3-3 Formation)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Matz Sels | 7.2/10 (Made crucial saves, but shaky in the second half) |
| RB: Neco Williams | 7.0/10 (Energetic on the right flank) |
| CB: Murillo | 7.3/10 (Commanding presence in defense) |
| CB: Nikola Milenkovic | 6.9/10 (Solid but unlucky to have goal disallowed) |
| LB: Ola Aina | 7.6/10 (Provided a brilliant assist for Wood’s goal) |
| CM: Danilo | 7.2/10 (Kept Forest’s midfield ticking) |
| CM: Ibrahim Sangaré | 7.4/10 (Dominated the midfield battle) |
| CM: Elliot Anderson | 7.8/10 (Scored an excellent opener) |
| RW: Callum Hudson-Odoi | 8.0/10 (Superb long-range goal, lively throughout) |
| ST: Chris Wood | 8.5/10 (Scored the decisive goal, led the attack well) |
| LW: Morgan Gibbs-White | 7.1/10 (Provided key passes and attacking runs) |
Substitutes:
- Ryan Yates (75’ for Danilo): 6.5/10
- Divock Origi (85’ for Wood): N/A
- Harry Toffolo (89’ for Hudson-Odoi): N/A
🔹 Player of the Match: Chris Wood (8.5/10)
Southampton (4-4-2 Formation)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Aaron Ramsdale | 5.9/10 (Poor game, spilled Milenkovic’s header, beaten from distance twice) |
| RB: Kyle Walker-Peters | 6.4/10 (Struggled defensively) |
| CB: Jan Bednarek | 7.1/10 (Scored, but shaky in defense) |
| CB: Armel Bella-Kotchap | 6.3/10 (Lost key duels) |
| LB: Romain Perraud | 6.0/10 (Limited attacking impact) |
| RM: Samuel Edozie | 6.7/10 (Created chances but ineffective in finishing) |
| CM: Lesley Ugochukwu | 7.3/10 (Assisted Bednarek’s goal, strong midfield presence) |
| CM: Flynn Downes | 6.8/10 (Tidy on the ball but lacked penetration) |
| LM: Stuart Armstrong | 6.5/10 (Struggled to impact the game) |
| ST: Che Adams | 6.9/10 (Worked hard, but no end product) |
| ST: Adam Armstrong | 6.4/10 (Quiet game, failed to test the goalkeeper) |
Substitutes:
- Paul Onuachu (76’ for Armstrong): 7.2/10 (Scored, but too late)
- Joe Aribo (82’ for Downes): N/A
🔹 Player of the Match (Southampton): Lesley Ugochukwu (7.3/10)
Key Takeaways from the Match
✅ Chris Wood’s Hot Streak Continues
- The striker scored his 14th league goal and has now netted in four consecutive games.
- Only Isak (25) and Haaland (24) have scored more non-penalty goals since Nuno took over in December.
✅ Forest Go Level with Arsenal
- 44 points, same as Arsenal, but sit third due to goal difference.
- Unbeaten in eight games – best run since 1995.
✅ Southampton’s Defensive Issues Persist
- 17 errors leading to goals this season – only Tottenham (21 in 2013-14) have made more in a single campaign.
✅ VAR Controversy Strikes Again
- Forest’s fourth goal was ruled out after Ramsdale spilled a header into his net.
✅ Onuachu’s Impact Not Enough for Southampton
- Came off the bench and scored, but it was too late to spark a comeback.
What’s Next?
- Nottingham Forest: Will face another top-six contender next week.
- Southampton: Running out of time to save their season—still 10 points from safety.
FAQs
- Who scored for Nottingham Forest?
- Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Chris Wood.
- What was the key moment in the match?
- Chris Wood’s goal, which ultimately proved to be the winner.
- Why was Forest’s fourth goal disallowed?
- VAR ruled that Aaron Ramsdale was fouled before spilling the ball into his own net.
- How many goals has Chris Wood scored this season?
- 14 league goals, including 8 headers (most in the league).
- Can Southampton still survive relegation?
- It looks unlikely, as they are 10 points adrift of safety.
