Chris Wood has helped Nottingham Forest back inside the top three of English football's Premier League Photo: AFP
Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood has scored his 19th Premier League goal of the season in a vital 2-1 away victory at Tottenham Hotspur which sent his side up three places to third in the table.
Consecutive league defeats had slowed Forest's push for Champions League qualification and they started the day sixth but they got their challenge back on track thanks mainly to a superb start in north London.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side took the lead after five minutes when a corner fell to Elliot Anderson on the edge of the area and his powerful deflected drive found the net.
All Whites striker Wood then had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside decision before doubling Forest's lead with a glancing header from Anthony Elanga's cross in the 16th minute.
Tottenham improved after their calamitous start and Richarlison rewarded their pressure with a powerful header to beat Matz Sels in the 87th to set up a nervy finale.
Forest hung on though to move above Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United in the race for a top-five finish with 60 points. Europa League semi-finalists Tottenham are 16th with 37 after an 18th league defeat of the season.
Tottenham could yet salvage their season by winning the Europa League and delivering a first trophy since 2008.
But a first home league defeat by Forest since 1997, one masterminded by the manager Tottenham sacked after only four months in 2021, increases the pressure on Ange Postecoglou who is in danger of leading the north London club to their worst Premier League points haul since they earned 44 in 1997-98.
Forest's season could get even better next weekend as they face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final.
- Reuters
