Nottingham Forest reignited their Champions League ambitions with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, piling more pressure on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.
Coming into the match after back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Everton, Forest were in sixth place but needed a strong response at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They delivered early, with Elliot Anderson opening the scoring in the fifth minute following a deflected effort from a corner.
Chris Wood appeared to double the lead shortly after, but his goal was ruled out by VAR for offside. Undeterred, the New Zealand striker made it count minutes later, heading in Anthony Elanga’s cross in the 16th minute to give Forest a two-goal cushion.
Despite controlling possession and registering more shots, Tottenham lacked cutting edge. Forest could have extended their lead in the second half when Morgan Gibbs-White fired wide after being set up by Wood.
Harry Toffolo then produced a dramatic goal-line clearance to deny Dejan Kulusevski, keeping Forest’s two-goal advantage intact. Postecoglou responded by bringing on former Forest player Brennan Johnson and striker Dominic Solanke in hopes of turning the tide.
Spurs pushed hard in the final stages, with Richarlison forcing a sharp save from Matz Sels before finally heading in a Pedro Porro cross in the 87th minute. However, Forest held firm to secure all three points and climb to third in the Premier League table.
Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo praised his team’s resilience under pressure and acknowledged the physical and mental fatigue at this point in the season.
He emphasized the significance of the upcoming week, which includes an FA Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City. Forest, who last featured in the European Cup in 1980/81, are now within touching distance of a Champions League return.
The defeat marks Tottenham’s 18th of a disappointing campaign, leaving them just above the relegation zone. While Spurs are still in the Europa League semi-finals—where they will meet Bodø/Glimt—Postecoglou admitted the continental competition is now their main focus.
Despite dominating much of Monday’s match, he lamented the defensive lapses that handed Forest their goals and conceded that building momentum through the Europa League is now a priority ahead of their weekend trip to Liverpool.
