Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham: Anthony Elanga's strike fires Nuno Espirito Santo's side into top three
Anthony Elanga netted the sole goal, leading Nottingham Forest to a home win against Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.
Nuno Espirito Santo returned to trouble his old team as his current squad moved up to third place in the Premier League. They took the lead in the first half with Elanga's goal, highlighting their consistent danger on the counterattack.
At the same time, Tottenham's struggles were only worsened by their trip to the East Midlands, after suffering a 6-3 loss to Liverpool last weekend. Ange Postecoglou's team remains stuck in the lower half of the table following yet another disappointing performance.
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Player Evaluations: The Colossal Presence of Murillo
Nottingham Forest: Sels (8), Murillo (9), Williams (7), Anderson (8), Gibbs-White (8), Wood (7), Hudson-Odoi (7), Elanga (8), Yates (6), Milenkovic (7); Aina (7).
Substitutes: Ward-Prowse (not applicable), Morato (not applicable), Jota (not applicable), Awonyi (not applicable), Sosa (not applicable).
Tottenham: Forster (5); Spence (5), Dragusin (4), Gray (6), Udogie (6); Sarr (5), Bentancur (5); Johnson (5), Kulusevski (6), Son (6); Solanke (6). Player Ratings: Forster received a score of 5. In defense, Spence and Sarr also earned 5s, while Dragusin had a lower rating of 4. Gray and Udogie both impressed with scores of 6. For the midfield, Sarr and Bentancur were both rated at 5. Johnson scored a 5 as well, while Kulusevski, Son, and Solanke all performed well, each receiving a score of 6.
Substitutes: Maddison (6), Bergvall (6), Porro (not available), Werner (not available), Bissouma (not available).
Man of the Match: Murillo.
Brennan Johnson, met with a chilly welcome upon his return to the City Ground, came close to scoring for the away team but had his powerful shot saved by the leaping Matz Sels.
Tottenham began the match strongly, as Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-Min Son were full of energy. However, they lost their momentum after halftime, and things remained largely the same for the remainder of the match.
It was yet another disappointing afternoon for Postecoglou and his squad. He stood on the sidelines, visibly frustrated, with his head in his hands after Djed Spence received a red card late in the match against his old club.
For Forest, it was just another day of celebration. They've now achieved four consecutive victories and show no indication of letting up in their quest for a spot in European football.
Elanga: We Took Advantage Of Tottenham's Play
Nottingham Forest striker Anthony Elanga had a conversation with Amazon:
Teams can control the ball for as long as they like, but ultimately, it's about who comes out on top in the match.
Elanga is excelling at Forest.
Anthony Elanga has found the net in three straight Premier League matches for the first time in his career.
"The manager consistently adapts, and we've done a fantastic job of that."
"There was room at the back. The game offered plenty of open space, which is typical of how Tottenham plays by employing a high defensive line."
Sky Sports' Patrick Rowe:
Forest earned a valuable victory and kept a clean sheet against Tottenham, thanks in large part to Murillo's outstanding performance.
As Postecoglou correctly noted, his team had the potential to cause problems in the attacking area but couldn't take advantage of those opportunities. This was largely due to the impressive presence of Forest's defender at the back.
In the end, his stats included nine clearances, three shots blocked, three tackles made, and five duels won.
Whenever there was an opening, he would take advantage of it. If there was a chance to win the ball, he faced no competition.
The local fans cheered him on the whole match. It's easy to understand why he's so popular; his developing partnership with Nikola Milenkovic is a key pillar of this remarkable season for the team.
Nuno: Our Defense Stands Out
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo:
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"It was a solid showing. We had previously discussed the talent within the Spurs squad. They have a knack for finding the back of the net, and our strong and courageous start was impressive."
"We performed well right from the start, and in the second half, we picked up the pace even more. During the final minutes, it was all about staying strong in defense and having confidence. The players showed great dedication in keeping threats at bay. Our central defense is incredibly important for the team; it truly makes a difference."
Postecoglou: Another Disappointing Loss
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou:
It’s frustrating, but it was a closely contested match. We had opportunities to score. The goal we conceded was disappointing, but overall, the team put in a lot of effort.
"We had some solid chances but couldn't take advantage of them. The goalkeeper made some impressive saves to keep their team in the match."
Tottenham's Situation Goes From Bad To Worse
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Patrick Rowe from Sky Sports
"It was his ankle, and he mentioned that he couldn't carry on. We'll need to wait and see," Postecoglou remarked after Radu Dragusin had to leave the match during the defeat against Forest.
Following a brief update on injuries and expressing his disappointment about leaving the City Ground without any points, Postecoglou was conspicuously absent from the press room.
The Tottenham manager left the premises in just 150 seconds, and it was obvious that he wasn't interested in addressing numerous inquiries.
An injury to the lone center-back available in the match-day squad, coupled with a red card for Spence—who had been showing potential in the last few matches—left the team struggling in the lower half of the standings.
Tottenham's outlook is becoming more and more grim with each passing day, and the match against Wolves, coming up in just three days, seems essential for them to win.
