Nottingham Forest strengthened their European ambitions with a 1-0 win over Tottenham, whose miserable season took a turn for the worse.
Anthony Elanga’s first-half goal was enough for Forest to consolidate their position in the top four as the mist gathered at City Ground and the outlook keeps getting gloomier for under-pressure Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
The embattled Australian watched his side lose for a fifth time in eight Premier League games and the pressure is growing as they languish in the bottom half of the table after a first Boxing Day defeat since 2003.
While Spurs, who had Djed Spence sent off at the death, ponder a season of mediocrity, Forest are daring to dream after posting a fourth successive Premier League win for the first time since 1995.
They have already surpassed their points total from last season and are looking like genuine contenders for European qualification, which outlines the impressive job Nuno Espirito Santo has done at the City Ground.
Given Postecoglou’s stubborn refusal to alter from his attacking approach, it was no surprise that chances at both ends came quickly.
Son Heung-min shot straight at Matz Sels after Murillo had given the ball away and then Callum Hudson-Odoi fired over with a trademark effort cutting in from the right soon after.
Brennan Johnson could have scored on his return to the City Ground after being played in by returning Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, but Sels did well.
Just as it looked like Spurs were taking control, Forest went in front in the 29th minute after a quick break.
Morgan Gibbs-White galloped into space and played in Elanga, who beat the offside trap and coolly clipped home for his third goal in three games.
The visitors’ response was good and Forest needed another big save from Sels to keep their lead intact, again denying Johnson with a flying stop.
Son then whipped a 20-yard free-kick inches wide as Spurs pressed, but Forest got into half-time unscathed.
They had a chance to double their lead early in the second half when Fraser Forster flapped at a cross and it fell kindly to Gibbs-White, but the goalkeeper recovered well to block the shot.
Spurs kept on creating chances as Johnson cleverly made space for himself, but Sels again came to the rescue with a brave block.
Forest needed a second goal to give themselves some breathing space and Nikola Milenkovic headed over before Ola Aina failed to make proper contact when the ball fell kindly to him on the penalty area.
Spurs pushed for an equaliser, but Forest put in a defensive performance Spurs could only dream of as central pairing Murillo and Milenkovic won all of their headers and made all of their tackles.
The visitors ended with 10 men as former Forest right-back Spence was dismissed deep into injury time for two yellow cards.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
