A couple of minutes earlier than kick-off, as has turn out to be custom, Steve Cooper emerged from the Nottingham Forest tunnel to a wall of noise, one other feverish environment. Then, earlier than taking a seat within the residence dugout, Cooper inhaled deeply and a chronic puff of the cheeks adopted. Perhaps he had anticipated the wild journey that was to play out over the course of 101 minutes of white-knuckle motion. It is, Cooper stated, a worth he’s keen to pay if the outcomes hold coming.
This was not an evening that was good for the blood stress however by the tip Forest, courtesy of a Taiwo Awoniyi double, Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty and a decisive strike by Danilo, had wrapped up an excellent win over the underside membership Southampton and a treasured three factors, respiratory life into their bid for Premier League survival. With three video games to play – journeys to Chelsea and Crystal Palace, on the ultimate day, bookend a date at residence to Arsenal – Forest’s heads are above water. Mathematically, Southampton can survive however it is going to take a miracle from right here.
Southampton’s gamers, sullen-faced, gathered, largely arms on hips in entrance of the travelling followers. James Ward-Prowse, a bit withdrawn and very deflated, seemed deep into the stand. It was all a stark distinction to Gibbs-White embracing pitch safety employees as Forest accomplished their victory lap to the thud of Just Can’t Get Enough. “I think the boys showed character,” Rubén Sellés, the Southampton supervisor, stated. “They wanted to come back, they wanted to play. We ran out of time.”
Perhaps it was no shock that this recreation was performed at a breathless tempo given each groups’ urgent want for factors. Any hope generated from Leicester’s pummelling at Fulham rapidly evaporated by the point Everton coasted to a shock victory at Brighton. There is one thing particular about video games beneath the lights right here at the very best of instances and filthy situations solely enhanced an entertaining, if typically slapstick, encounter. “I just spoke to one or two [Southampton] players that I know and they said: ‘What an atmosphere’,” Cooper stated afterwards.
Nothing epitomised the absorbing nature of this recreation greater than Brennan Johnson burning previous Armel Bella-Kotchap after 10 minutes, leaving the Southampton centre-back floundering like Scrappy-Doo after which on all fours. With Bella-Kotchap grounded with a hamstring downside, Jan Bednarek did brilliantly to stop Johnson finding an unmarked Awoniyi. Bella-Kotchap, injured making an attempt to maintain up, headed down the tunnel with the assistance of medical employees.
Forest have been roared off the pitch at half-time, their two-goal buffer restored after Gibbs-White despatched Alex McCarthy the fallacious manner from the penalty spot. A split-second after controlling the ball within the Southampton field, Ainsley Maitland-Niles pressed self-destruct, whacking the achilles of the vigorous Johnson. Gibbs-White made no mistake.
Awoniyi bought the ball rolling on 18 minutes when he swept residence Johnson’s neat centre and, three minutes later, the striker had doubled his and Forest’s tally, smacking in from shut vary after latching on to Danilo’s intelligent contact.
Forest appeared snug after exposing Southampton’s gentle centre however the guests replied on 25 minutes when Carlos Alcaraz utilized the final touch to a slick counterattack. Ward-Prowse nicked the ball from Gibbs-White inside his personal half and freed Che Adams right into a promising three v two state of affairs. Adams positioned Stuart Armstrong, who slid the ball throughout the six-yard field for Alcaraz to manage after which tuck in. Sellés, bouncing on the touchline, tried to energise his staff. Theo Walcott went near an equaliser however then Maitland-Niles gifted Forest a penalty.
Dead and buried? Southampton scoring inside 5 minutes of the restart was not a part of the script. Sellés seemingly needed to persuade Bednarek and Lyanco, who changed Bella-Kotchap, to go up for an early second-half nook. Ward-Prowse’s inswinger landed within the Forest the six-yard field and Lyanco eluded Felipe to go in. A few minutes later a Ward-Prowse free-kick, and one other depraved supply, brought about extra issues. Lyanco pressured a save from Keylor Navas.
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Now it was Forest who were feeling the heat. Kamaldeen Sulemana, on in place of Walcott, skipped past Renan Lodi and rattled a shot into the side netting via a deflection. From the resulting Ward-Prowse corner, Lyanco again won the first header but Navas punched clear before the lurking Adams could welly in. A fidgety crescendo loomed.
Southampton could smell blood but Forest increased their lead. Johnson was again the catalyst. He cut the ball back for Gibbs-White, whose cute flick on the penalty spot ran perfectly for Danilo to lash in. The Forest substitutes’ bench – even Serge Aurier, who departed injured – emptied to join the celebrations and Cooper darted off along the touchline. Ward-Prowse’s late penalty, after Sam Surridge clipped Roméo Lavia, set up a tense finale but Forest held on. “It is a massive win but it will be even bigger if we build on it,” Cooper said. “We are going to need more points.”
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