Chants of “we want eight” echoed around the City Ground towards the end of another stirring day for Nottingham Forest.
Nuno Espirito Santo had demanded an instant response after last weekend’s humiliation at Bournemouth, and here was his vision in glorious high definition.
Any fears over Forest’s season fizzling out were emphatically destroyed in a dominant display which keeps them right in the mix for Champions League football.
Chris Wood has now amassed his highest number of goals in the Premier League – 17 – and became the first player to score a hat-trick at the City Ground in the top division since Nigel Clough in 1987.
There were other scintillating performances from the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga and Forest’s 5-0 defeat at Bournemouth last Saturday has quickly been put to bed.
Brighton were dreadful, in defensive disarray and frequently exposed by a team clearly intent on erasing the memories of their last match.
Fabian Hurzeler, the Brighton manager, was booked for the fifth time this season and endured an excruciating afternoon. His team have secured just two wins from the last 12 league matches.
Like unwanted guests at a private function, Forest are refusing to leave the party quietly. This was the first time Forest had scored seven goals since a thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday in the 1994-95 season. That Bournemouth defeat must feel like a trick of the imagination now.
The result never looked in doubt from the moment Brighton captain Lewis Dunk diverted Gibbs-White’s cross into his own net after 12 minutes. Brighton were struggling to repel the pressure and the absence of injured left-backs Pervis Estupinan and Ferdi Kadioglu is clearly a concern for Hurzeler.
Gibbs-White increased Forest’s lead with a near-post header from Anthony Elanga’s corner. Elanga then delivered the cross for Wood to head in from close range. It required a ridiculously long VAR check before the goal was ruled onside, underlining the importance of introducing semi-automated offsides.
Brighton were poor and their best chance came six minutes before half-time when Danny Welbeck’s shot was tipped onto the crossbar by Matz Sels.
Hurzeler made a triple substitution at half-time and though it sparked an improvement, Brighton never looked capable of getting back into the game.
Brighton’s manager was also booked for the fifth time this season after claiming a penalty when Welbeck collided with Nikola Milenkovic.
Forest added a fourth goal in the 64th minute when Wood converted another Elanga cross. Wood claimed his hat-trick from the spot after Tariq Lamptey pulled down Gibbs-White in the penalty area. Neco Williams crashed in the sixth before substitute Jota Silva added the final gloss with a ruthless finish.
02:55 PM GMT
Elanga on his relationship with Chris Wood
It is all about the attitude from the lads. We wated to start the game on the front foot and we did. Then we said let’s kleep going for more. We know how it felt last week and we wanted to make sure that Brighton felt the same.
It is always nice to contribute. You could see I kept on running at the end because I wanted a goal. I said to Chris [Wood] at half time: “Let’s keep pushing for more.” I’m happy he got the hat-trick of goals. The most important thing is to win and we did that.
02:46 PM GMT
Chris Wood speaking post-match
What a difference a week can make. Down in the dumps after last week. It wasn’t us, it wasn’t like us, but today that was definitely us.
It is all credit to the team. This lad [Elanga] puts it on a plate for me so it makes my job easier every time. Then Morgs [Gibbs-White] handed me the penalty for the hat-trick. It’s fantastic, the boys have done superbly showing character to come back from last week. That is what we’re about.
02:37 PM GMT
Bouncebackability
5 - Nottingham Forest are only the second side in Premier League history to lose a game by 5+ goals and then follow it up by immediately winning their next in the competition by 5+, after Sheffield Wednesday in November 1997 (1-6 v Man Utd, 5-0 v Bolton). Response. pic.twitter.com/mnd6nDJqFb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 1, 2025
02:31 PM GMT
FT: Forest 7 Brighton 0
What a day for Forest, their biggest top flight win in 34 years. They were so efficient in the final third, with Wood, Elanga and Gibbs-White far too good for a porous Brighton. Liverpool and Arsenal have tough fixtures this weekend, and this result puts Forest right back up there. They are behind Arsenal only on goal difference. What a response to losing 5-0.
Hurzeler got his team selection wrong with such a cavalier approach, and his team wilted in the second half.
02:28 PM GMT
97 minutes: Forest 7 Brighton 0
To be 3-0 down at half-time, make a triple sub, and then lose the second-half 4-0 is very worrying for Hurzeler and Brighton. There was an improvement at the start of the second-half but they have not been able to contain Forest all afternoon.
Champagne football from Forest now, one and two-touch in midfield.
02:26 PM GMT
95 minutes: Forest 7 Brighton 0
Forest go close to an eighth (they were involved in one of the biggest Premier League thrashings when United won 8-0 at the City Ground).
Dominguez with a delightful scooped pass to Jota but his smashed the ball wide of the far post when he needed to control the finish.
02:24 PM GMT
93 minutes: Forest 7 Brighton 0
There will not be many betting slips with Forest 7 Brighton 0 around the country. Ferguson goes down too easily looking for a Brighton penalty.
02:22 PM GMT
GOOOAALL! Jota makes it seven
In the first of nine added minutes, Brighton have conceded another. A horrible pass out from Verbruggen straight to Jota, and he finishes low beneath the goalkeeper. Forest now just one behind Newcastle and four behind Man City on goal difference.
02:20 PM GMT
GOOOAALL! Forest have six
Neco Williams hammers the ball into the roof of the net after a scramble in the box. Awoniyi chopped inside and forced a fine save from Verbruggen, Sangare went down in the box but there was Williams to convert. Brighton’s players appeal for handball against Sangare but the goal stands.
02:18 PM GMT
88 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
O’Riley with a fine attempt of a free-kick for Brighton, up and over the wall, but Sels is equal to it. Despite the comfort of the scoreline, Sels has made two or three very good saves.
02:15 PM GMT
85 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
Forest continue to push forward, with Neco Williams overlapping again. He has been one of many strong individual Forest performances, the wing-back role looks to really suit him. The vinegar has gone out of Brighton.
02:11 PM GMT
81 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
Chris Wood is about to be given the chance to put his feet up, Awoniyi is ready to come on. One striker who has come on is Evan Ferguson for Brighton, a player who could well be in the shop window. Sangare is also coming on for Forest, another player returning from injury.
02:08 PM GMT
78 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
Wood bullying Van Hecke, still fighting for every single ball in the air and on the ground. Williams is then fouled by the Brighton defender. Brighton just want to get off this pitch without any further embarrassment.
02:06 PM GMT
75 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
Forest look like responding to a 5-0 defeat with a 5-0 victory. Elanga is down holding his arm, I think the Brighton player stood on it. The Forest winger looks fit to continue.
02:02 PM GMT
72 minutes: Forest 5 Brighton 0
The only concern for Forest is that Murillo has been forced off with a knock or twist of same kind. Boly replaces him. Gibbs-White off too replaced by Jota. Both departing players get the standing ovation theiy deserve.
01:59 PM GMT
Wood scores!
He sends Verbruggen the wrong way, slotting the penalty to the goalkeeper’s left, and Forest have five before 70 minutes.
01:58 PM GMT
PENALTY FOREST!
Lamptey penalised for dragging Gibbs-White down at a corner, and Hooper has not hesitation in pointing to the spot. Lamptey has had a nightmare, playing out of position on the left.
Chris Wood to take, a chance for the hat-trick...
01:57 PM GMT
68 minutes: Forest 4 Brighton 0
Brighton fans are already heading for the exits, possibly heading to get prime spot in the Vat and Fiddle around the corner.
01:56 PM GMT
Brighton have the ball, Forest have another goal
Brighton had been playing better in this second half, after a triple substitution by Fabian Hurzeler, but a fourth Forest goal will knock the stuffing out of them.
It was another Chris Wood goal, and another Anthony Elanga cross.
This is proving a nightmare afternoon for Hurzeler, who has also been booked for the fifth time this season after claiming a penalty when Welbeck collided with Nikola Milenkovic.
01:56 PM GMT
66 minutes: Forest 4 Brighton 0
Nuno has now made that change: Danilo receives a standing ovation as he is replaced by Dominguez. Hugs all round between the Brazilian and the Forest staff on his first game back from that gruesome ankle break.
01:55 PM GMT
GOOOAALL! Elanga tees up Wood for Forest’s fourth
What a day this is turning into for Forest, and it is brilliant wing play from Elanga. With Lamptey pushed on, Elanga found himself isolated against Dunk and pushed the ball past him on the outside before whipping a ball across goal which was turned home by Wood. His 16th Premier League goal of the season.
01:53 PM GMT
63 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
The Forest crowd are on their feet after Murillo goes charging up the pitch, eventually tackled by Rutter.
01:51 PM GMT
61 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Dunk just about manages to head the ball back to Verburggen with Elanga lurking. Minteh persisent in the Forest box to win a corner after Williams and Anderson did well to see off his initial dribble. Forest clear a completely unthreatening Brighton corner.
01:47 PM GMT
58 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Hurzeler’s triple sub has improved things but it might be a case of too little, too late. Appeals for a Brighton penalty after Milenkovic and Welbeck clashed heads, but it was no more than that. Hooper has booked Hurzeler for his vociferous reaction. Welbeck stays down and will receive treatment.
01:44 PM GMT
55 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Brighton continuing to see lots of the ball, but they do not look especially dangerous. Adingra is picking up some space over on the left. Aina defends Minteh’s cross well and then Lamptey is penalised for handball.
01:42 PM GMT
51 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Brighton applying some pressure, but Forest are defending their box slightly. Aina gives away an unnecessary corner; O’Riley’s cross was aimless and was heading out for a goal kick. Aina claims he did not hear the shout from Sels. Milenkovic heads the corner away, meat and drink for the Serbian.
01:39 PM GMT
49 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Adingra cuts inside from the left but his shot from the edge of the area is high, wide and handsome. Anderson battles well in midfield for Forest, the home team have been too strong for Brighton in those duels.
01:38 PM GMT
47 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Lamptey looks to win a free-kick near the box but Hooper is having none of it. The Brighton full-back went to ground far too easily. Gibbs-White with another eye-catching switch out to Aina, and the Forest right-back wins them a throw deep in Brighton territory.
01:36 PM GMT
We’re back under way
Gomez and O’Riley are playing as a pair in midfield to try and stiffen up Brighton’s spine. Those changes are an admission from Hurzeler that he picked the wrong team.
01:35 PM GMT
Brighton are making three half-time changes
Matt O’Riley, Simon Adingra and Gomez are the players coming on. Mitoma, Hinshelwood and Joao Pedro are the players taken off.
01:32 PM GMT
Chris Wood having his best Premier League season
15 - Chris Wood has scored 15 Premier League goals this season, his outright most ever in a single campaign (14 in 2019-20 and 2023-24). Only Stan Collymore (22 in 1994-95) has ever scored more for Nottingham Forest in a season in the competition. Evergreen. pic.twitter.com/EQi3wQU5cx
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 1, 2025
01:27 PM GMT
John Percy’s half-time verdict
Scintillating first-half display from Nottingham Forest and exactly the response Nuno will have wanted after last weekend.
While Forest have been electric, Brighton produced a desperately poor 45 minutes.
Defensively in disarray, they also appear disjointed in midfield.
They had only two wins from the last 11 Premier League games before today so this is certainly a frustrating period for Fabian Hurzeler.
01:21 PM GMT
HT: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Both managers took gambles with their selections and Nuno’s has paid dividends. Some of Forest’s attacking play has been outstanding, with Gibbs-White and Elanga ripping apart a lightweight Brighton team playing without a midfield. All three goals have come from crosses. Brighton have had chances - it has maybe not been a 3-0 half in general play - but when you go away in the Premier League and look this flimsy you can have no complaints.
01:19 PM GMT
45 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Four minutes of added time to play. Brighton look caught between trying to reduce the deficit and just making it to half time without further damage. They have a corner, but Forest clear and then Gibbs-White dribbles out of pressure to win a foul.
01:16 PM GMT
44 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Brighton with a long spell of possession but Forest defend well as a unit. Aina in strongly to win a loose ball in front of Lamptey, aa good, clean challenge.
01:13 PM GMT
42 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Brighton still pushing forward, and Welbeck almost meets a cross with a run across the near-post. Veltman is then fouled by Williams. After a scare at home to Southampton a few weeks ago when leading 3-0, Forest will want their half-time clean sheet.
01:10 PM GMT
39 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Danny Welbeck cracks a shot off the bar, which bounces off the line! Sels got the slightest of fingertips to it. Simon Hooper checks his watch but the ball did not cross the line. Brighton have had the chances to score one or two themselves, their problems are at the other end.
01:08 PM GMT
37 minutes: Forest 3 Brighton 0
Minteh with a deflected shot into the arms of Sels. Then Elanga breaks in behind Dunk but the angle narrowed and his shot was tame. Brighton cannot control Forest’s attacking players at all, especially in transitions. Forest look like scoring with every attack.
01:05 PM GMT
Goal given after a very long VAR check
They were looking to see if Wood was in front of Dunk when Elanga crossed the ball. Angles on TV can be deceiving but Wood looked nowhere near being offside on first viewing. They took their time but the goal rightly stands.
Chris Wood has now scored 15 goals for the season, and that is his best return ever in the Premier League.
The Kiwi has been a revelation for Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo and that was another textbook header.
Yet another ridiculous delay as the VAR officials checked for an offside. Semi-automated offsides cannot come quickly enough.
01:03 PM GMT
GOOOAAALL! Wood buries Forest’s third
What a response from Forest to their Bournemouth thrashing. The quality of delivery from their attacking players has been superb. This time it was Elanga skipping down the right, and he picked out the unmarked Chris Wood at the back post who scored the simplest of headers.
01:01 PM GMT
30 minutes: Forest 2 Brighton 0
Now Chris Wood tries his luck from outside the box and Verbruggen tips his shot over the par. Gibbs-White won another near-post header from the corner but Veltman cleared at the back post. Brighton then go on the attack and Lamptey curls a shot over from the edge of the box. The game is wide open.
12:59 PM GMT
28 minutes: Forest 2 Brighton 0
Brighton almost hit back immediately but Selz did well to close down the angle for Minteh, and save well. The Forest crowd then give Danilo a great ovation after a dribble through midfield.
Then Forest hit the post! So close to a third and game over. Cracking switch from right to left from Gibbs-White again to find Elanga, and he teed up Williams for a shot from outside the box which hit the foot of the post.
12:57 PM GMT
GOOOALL! Gibbs-White with a glancing header
Terrific delivery from the corner, flashing across the near post, and Gibbs-White got there first to glance a header beyond the helpless Verbruggen. Should Welbeck have done better to screen at the front post? Brighton’s glass chin exposed. Gibbs-White deserves his goal.
12:55 PM GMT
23 minutes: Forest 1 Brighton 0
Murillo defends well up against Rutter and Forest have a goal kick. Sels takes his time over it and clips the ball long. Brighton take the opposite approach at the other end, and Verbruggen gets away with a scratchy pass which Forest almost pounce on.
Wood then finds space in the area with the ball bouncing in front of him, but he turned down the shot with his left and chopped inside Van Hecke. Nice touch, but it allowed Minteh to get back. Clean tackle, Forest corner.
12:52 PM GMT
21 minutes: Forest 1 Brighton 0
Gibbs-White is having the run of the game in midfield, Brighton are vacating the centre of the pitch. Hinshelwood finds himself isolated against Gibbs-White and fouls him, at the expense of a booking. The Brighton man took a bit of a swing at Gibbs-White without connecting, VAR may have been called into action had he fully connected with his studs.
12:50 PM GMT
20 minutes: Forest 1 Brighton 0
Rutter is Brighton’s most influential attacker, but Milenkovic cuts out his pass into the box. Brilliant work from Gibbs-White in midfield, and Forest release Elanga in acres of space wide left. He whips a shot across the face of goal which Wood was ever so close to toeing into the far corner.
12:48 PM GMT
Danilo at the heart of Forest’s goal
Forest take the lead and a huge part of that goal was down to midfielder Danilo.
The Brazilian is making his first start since the opening day of the season after breaking his ankle and underlined his quality with the pass which released Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest have missed that creativity in midfield and it was Danilo’s vision which unlocked Brighton’s defence down their left side.
Gibbs-White, by the way, is making his 100th appearance for Forest since that £25 milllion move from Wolves in 2022.
Lewis Dunk must hate it at the City Ground too. He was sent off here last season and it was his own goal which gave Forest the lead here today.
12:47 PM GMT
17 minutes: Forest 1 Brighton 0
Excellent block from Morata at the back for Forest from Hinshelwood’s shot, after Rutter barrelled his way into the box. Brighton are carrying a threat. Their biggest problem might be avoiding conceding a second as they push numbers forward.
12:46 PM GMT
15 minutes: Forest 1 Brighton 0
Forest needed that early goal after their chastening afternoon at Bournemouth last Saturday. Brighton continue to see plenty of the ball but that will not worry Forest. This is their ideal game state: scoring first, absorbing pressure and countering.
12:44 PM GMT
GOOOALLL! Lewis Dunk turns ball into his own net
Forest strike first yet again at home. Lamptey was attracted to Elanga inside and Danilo dinked a pass over to Gibbs-White who was wide open on the right. Gibbs-White carried the ball into the box and tried to feed a ball across the face of goal, which Dunk deflected into his own net with an outstretched leg. Unfortunate for Dunk, who had to go for it.
12:42 PM GMT
12 minutes: Forest 0 Brighton 0
Anderson with some impressive close control near the touchline, and he his absolutely clattered by Welbeck. More of a forceful trip than a sliding tackle, but Welbeck is shown a yellow card. The challenge was made right in front of the two benches, which always makes things more dramatic.
12:40 PM GMT
9 minutes: Forest 0 Brighton 0
Brighton have so many forwards on the pitch but they do not stand up against centre-backs, they pop up everywhere. Do Milenkovic, Morato and Murillo step in and follow Pedro and Rutter when they drop or pass them on? Brighton having a long spell of settled possession in the Forest half, penning the home team in.
12:37 PM GMT
7 minutes: Forest 0 Brighton 0
Welbeck eases Murillo out of the way which takes some doing, and does ever so well to hold the ball up. Minteh with a dangerous dribble into the box but Forest put out the fire.
Forest then break in typical style with Elanga skipping beyond Van Hecke, but the yellow shirts of the away team sprinted back to recover.
Not a great few minutes for Murillo, who is booked for dragging down Rutter in midfield. Smart turn from the Brighton forward.
12:36 PM GMT
5 minutes: Forest 0 Brighton 0
Elanga and Gibbs-White are playing inside behind Wood, with Williams and Aina pushing on as wing-backs. Forest enjoy a good spell of possession in the Brighton half, but Rutter defends dilligently near his own box. Very competitive so far, as you would expect.
12:34 PM GMT
3 minutes: Forest 0 Brighton 0
The pitch at the City Ground looks a little dry, which maybe suits Forest more than Brighton. Both teams showing the other respect and dropping off in the early exchanges. Lamptey is playing at left-back in the absence of Lamptey. Rutter and Pedro are playing in front of Hinshelwood, and Pedro has just produced his first burst into the box but Milenkovic blocked his shot.
Gibbs-White then releases Elanga but his attempted through ball to Wood was overhit.
12:31 PM GMT
KICK OFF!
Forest get the game started.
12:28 PM GMT
The two teams are out at the City Ground
Brighton have picked an extra attacker while Forest have added an extra defender, which hints at the pattern of the game to follow.
12:17 PM GMT
Forest still trying for Wissa
Nottingham Forest have yet to make a signing in this transfer window and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa remains their No. 1 target.
Talks have been held again in the last few days between the two clubs but it appears, at this stage, that Brentford are maintaining their stance that the forward is not for sale.
Wissa appeals to Forest as he can play in a number of attacking positions but bids of around £20 million have already been turned down.
While a deal does appear remote at the moment, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is determined to keep the club progressing so late developments in the window cannot be completely ruled out. Marinakis is at the City Ground today.
12:09 PM GMT
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is in attendance
12:08 PM GMT
Two teams smarting from defeat
Nuno Espirito Santo has demanded an immediate reaction after last weekend’s thrashing at Bournemouth.
That 5-0 defeat ended a run of eight Premier League games unbeaten and sparked a few worries that Forest’s season may be fizzling out.
Forest have conceded seven goals in the last three halves of football but the table still shows the club are in third place.
They are also a whopping 20 points ahead of Tottenham.
Brighton, meanwhile, also had their own long unbeaten run ended last weekend by Everton.
Kaoru Mitoma is in Brighton’s team after a £54 million bid from Al Nassr was turned down last week.
12:02 PM GMT
How the top of the table looks going into this weekend
11:49 AM GMT
Nuno confirms the switch to a back five
Yes, that’s right. To be more compact and more solid. It then allows more freedom to our front players.
11:46 AM GMT
Hurzeler confirms Baleba has a muscular issue
Jack Hinshelwood will have to get through a lot of work in that Brighton midfield. Hurzeler said he made a decision to take an offensive approach today, but he was not expecting what looks to be a change of formation for Forest.
11:43 AM GMT
Lewis Dunk on Brighton’s plan
It’s always a tough place to come here.
We had a poor result against Everton and we want to bounce back and get the win.
We are coming here with a game plan and and we want to win the game. We don’t want to get the crowd involved too much as they can get noisy.
11:37 AM GMT
Brighton beware
Chris Wood’s nine goals against Brighton is the most he has scored against any opponent in English league football.
11:26 AM GMT
That team news assessed
Elliott Anderson has a chance to impress from the start for Forest in the absence of Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Nuno looks to have switched things up with a back three rather than the usual 4-2-3-1. Forest fans will be pleased to see Brazilian midfielder Danilo in their starting XI, who has not played since breaking his ankle on the opening weekend of the season. That injury could have been far worse in truth, the break was sufficiently nasty for physios to erect a screen around him on the pitch.
If I am not mistaken Hurzeler has picked a team featuring five forwards: Rutter, Welbeck, Joao Pedro, Minteh and Mitoma. Midfield looks light with Carlos Baleba not making the squad, which must surely be a question of injury or illness. Evan Ferguson is on Brighton’s bench.
11:21 AM GMT
Brighton team and subs
11:19 AM GMT
Nottingham Forest team and subs
11:18 AM GMT
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11:17 AM GMT
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11:14 AM GMT
Brighton’s style of play should be to Forest’s liking
Nottingham Forest’s bubble burst in a 5-0 hammering at Bournemouth last Saturday, but they might find the task against possession-hungry Brighton more to their liking.
Brighton also suffered disappointment last time out in the shape of a fractious 1-0 loss at home to Everton, when they failed to convert their heaps of possession into clear openings.
That does not bode especially well for their chances of breaking down Forest at the City Ground this lunchtime. The five Forest conceded at Bournemouth was one more than they had conceded in their previous seven league games.
Forest’s underlying attacking numbers always hinted they would struggle to sustain a top four place, even if those statistics have to be contextualised by the frequency with which Forest have scored the first goal. That has allowed them to soak up pressure and break at pace without having to chase games. Three points today would draw Forest level with Arsenal who face Manchester City tomorrow.
Forest will be without Callum Hudson-Odoi who remains absent with a groin injury, while Pervis Estupinan is also an absentee for Brighton. Fabian Hurzeler might be able to call upon Evan Ferguson again, but the young striker continues to be linked with a loan move away with Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham among the interested suitors. Brighton also rejected a huge offer from Saudi Arabia for winger Kaoru Mitoma this week.
Yoanne Wissa and Matheus Cunha have attracted the interest of Forest who are hoping to bolster their attacking options.
“Our priority in this transfer window was clear: to retain our players,” Nuno Espirito Santo said.
“We have a talented and good squad, but if there is a piece missing, it has to be something really special. It’s not easy,” Nuno continued.”
Full team news on the way very shortly, before what promises to be an intriguing clash of styles.
