Nottingham Forest bolstered their pursuit of a Premier League top-four finish on Thursday with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, thanks to Anthony Elanga’s first-half strike.
The result lifted Forest to third place, while Tottenham’s struggles continued, leaving them 11th after 18 matches.
Elanga capitalized on a swift Forest counter-attack in the 28th minute, delivering a composed finish to beat goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Tottenham’s woes deepened late in the match as Djed Spence, a former Forest player, received a second yellow card, leaving the visitors to finish with 10 men.
Despite a bright start, Tottenham were undone by Forest’s clinical play. Morgan Gibbs-White’s exquisite pass carved open the Spurs defense, setting up Elanga for the decisive goal.
“Anthony Elanga scored in the 28th minute for Nottingham Forest to down Tottenham on Thursday,” summing up the pivotal moment of the contest.
The win marked Forest’s third consecutive top-flight victory, a feat not achieved since 1995.
For manager Nuno Espirito Santo, it was a particularly gratifying result against the club that dismissed him three years ago. Forest’s 34 points so far already surpass their total from last season, where they narrowly avoided relegation.
Tottenham’s lack of form has placed significant pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, as the team now trails Forest by 11 points.
The visitors created opportunities in the first half, with Matz Sels denying Brennan Johnson twice and Son Heung-min clipping the side netting from a free kick.
However, they offered little threat after the break, and Spence’s late red card summed up a frustrating night for Spurs.
