Nottingham Forest played with the hunger of a team that understood exactly what was at stake, and Tottenham played like a side still trying to find itself. The result was a resounding 3-0 home win, with Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring twice and Ibrahim Sangaré producing a performance that blended authority with elegance, capped by a stunning late strike.
Forest’s intent was immediate. They pressed high, snapped into second balls, and forced Spurs into decisions they did not want to make in their own defensive third. Sangaré signalled the tone early, thumping a header against the post as Forest’s opening dominance demanded a reward. Tottenham survived that warning, but they did not heed it.
The opener on 28 minutes was the type of goal that becomes a symbol of a bad away day. Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, already under scrutiny for recent errors, was caught in a costly moment, and Forest took full advantage. Hudson-Odoi did the rest, finishing with the crispness that comes from a winger who senses blood in the water.
Tottenham tried to gather themselves, but the problem was not a single mistake. It was the broader pattern: Forest were quicker to every loose ball, sharper in their duels, and more direct in their intent. Spurs had spells of possession, but they felt like possession without purpose, neat passes that didn’t translate into danger.
If Tottenham hoped to reset after the interval, Forest made sure they never even found the reset button. Five minutes into the second half, Hudson-Odoi struck again in circumstances that summed up Tottenham’s afternoon. A delivery into the box turned into a freakish looping finish, with Vicario again left looking like a man trapped in quicksand as the ball drifted beyond him. At 2-0, the home crowd didn’t just believe. They celebrated.
From there, Forest grew in confidence and Tottenham grew in frustration. Spurs managed just limited threat, and Forest’s defensive work was disciplined rather than desperate. Every time Tottenham tried to build, Forest’s shape remained compact and their counter-press was immediate, suffocating Spurs’ attempts to find rhythm.
The third goal on 79 minutes was the perfect closing statement. Sangaré, already central to Forest’s best work, unleashed a magnificent strike that crashed in off the upright. It was the kind of goal that turns a win into an occasion and a performance into a message.
For Forest, it was a huge boost, both in points and in belief, and the City Ground felt the kind of unity that can fuel a survival push. For Tottenham, it was a sobering afternoon that raised uncomfortable questions about confidence, concentration, and their capacity to handle pressure when the game turns hostile.
Forest didn’t wait for Spurs to collapse. They forced it, then finished the job.
