Nottingham

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Just before kick-off a huge tifo of Morgan Gibbs-White was revealed at the Trent End. Nottingham Forest's number 10 was depicted eyes closed, with an index finger pressed into each ear. It’s his trademark goal celebration and it was accompanied beneath by a message which read “Shut everything out and play your game”.

Speaking to the 24-year-old afterwards he revealed how the sight of the banner was both “touching” and “incredible”. Feelings which he quickly switched to extra motivation, adding: “I knew when I saw that, I had to pay them back."

For those who’ve never seen Gibbs-White play in the flesh, he’s all action. His outrageous outside-of-the-right-boot assist for Callum Hudson-Odoi’s opener, and goal in first half stoppage time, will understandably dominate the headlines, but he brings so much more.

Most obvious is the work-rate. He will literally run himself into the ground, as demonstrated by the weary figure he cut when being replaced in the 77th minute. Yet what I enjoy most about his game is the confidence and ability he has to regularly receive possession, with his back to goal, in and around the halfway line, under pressure, and subsequently perform a variety of body bending pirouettes, to turn his man, drive away with the ball, and spearhead the attack. Quite simply, if Gibbs-White is on it, so are Nottingham Forest.

Nuno Espirito Santo is a man of few words, but he stepped away from the norm when I moved the post-match interview topic onto Gibbs-White.

He told me: "He's very talented, no doubt about that. He's reaching the levels of a football player that is almost complete. He reads the game well, he has talent, he can score. The biggest challenge is to keep Morgan at that level”.

It's his second season at the club. He was signed from Wolves for an initial £25m, which is expected to rise to a club record fee of £42m. His performances in Garibaldi red are attracting interest from others, irrespective of whether Forest will be playing Premier League football next season.

Speculation surrounding his future won’t go away, but for the player, his focus is clear. There was no hesitation from Gibbs-White when asked if there is enough quality in the Forest dressing room for them to stay up.

“100%," he told me. "We were in the same situation last season, so we know exactly what we need to do. I know for a fact that the boys will get together and get it done.”

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Fans have been giving their views on the battle at the bottom after Everton earned a point at Newcastle and Nottingham Forest scored a key win over Fulham.

Everton fan and podcaster Matt told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "I think that there were times early on in the game in particular where it looked like Everton would kind of flounder their way through another football match without laying a glove on the opponent.

"I think funnily enough it was the goal that got disallowed for Newcastle that kind of sparked Sean Dyche to life and to make the uncharacteristic triple substitution before the hour mark. Those three players that came on and particularly Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Everton a bit of positivity in the game.

"I feel like there's a dark cloud hanging over the football club at the moment and we're clinging on trying to find any sort of light. Calvert-Lewin scoring last night and getting Everton getting a decent point is certainly light."

Forest fan Leasha Pridmore said: "We seemed to sort of drop off a bit and as a Forest fan we've seen it so many times where we have gone 2-0 up and ended up losing. So it was really nerve-racking but I'm glad we held on thankfully.

"I think if we could just keep doing what we did yesterday - especially with that starting line-up - I think we'll be OK."

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Nottingham Forest boosted their hopes of Premier League survival with three potentially vital points against Fulham on Tuesday.

It had been 99 days since Forest last scored three goals in a game, but efforts from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White secured a convincing victory.

"Forest have got everything in their armoury to go on and have more good games," said former Premier League defender Phil Jagielka on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They have not managed to do it [win] for whatever reason, but they will be hoping now that they can have a few more victory parties after the games."

Wood's strike meant he has scored in three consecutive league matches, while Hudson-Odoi has racked up five goals in 22 Forest appearances - having needed 72 outings to yield the same return for Chelsea.

But is was Gibbs-White who ran the show.

The 24-year-old has now been directly involved in 11 goals in the Premier League.

"Nuno will be very happy with the resilience of the team," added former Newcastle United and Tottenham centre-back Sebastien Bassong.

"When you have a manager who can assess his assets that well, Nuno will be able to put them in their best positions and allow them to play freely and consistently.

"That will give them confidence to handle the upcoming games better."

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We asked for your thoughts on Tuesday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

Here are some of your responses:

Shaun: Nuno picked the right players and got them to go at Fulham. He made sure they did not settled for a one-goal lead and got them to push on. Nuno now knows what the players can do, so let's see more of it.

Martin: For the first time in ages it sounded like the boys were enjoying themselves. Heart in mouth after Fulham scored but a well-deserved victory and three points. Glad to see Gibbs-White getting his name on the scoresheet - he brings so much to us. Well done, lads!

Sean: It was the kind of game where we showed just how good we can be. Fast-paced, clinical attack - and we could have had more. Equally as important, our heads didn't drop when Fulham scored. Defensively we were stronger, whereas last season that could have led to more opposition goals. Great atmosphere too. Got to keep this up now to the end.

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After a tumultuous few weeks where Nottingham Forest were handed a four-point deduction for breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, Nuno Espirito Santo's side urgently needed to do their talking on the pitch to put breathing space between themselves and the bottom three.

A superb first-half performance with goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White was enough to ensure they took all three points against Fulham on Tuesday.

Coupled with the point they earned against Crystal Palace on Saturday, that four-point deduction has now been cancelled out with the club also saying they will appeal the decision.

An appeal process alone cannot be relied upon but positives must be taken from the performance at the City Ground.

Wood's brilliant strike meant he has scored in three consecutive Premier League appearances, while Hudson-Odoi has racked up five goals in 22 Forest appearances - having needed 72 outings to yield four for Chelsea.

Nuno's side have taken a much-needed step towards safety with their first ever win over Fulham in the top flight and, three points clear of the drop zone, they will travel to Tottenham on Sunday with renewed confidence about their hopes of staying up.

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Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo speaking to BBC Match of the Day:

"We played good. We started the game much better compared to the previous game. One of the best starts we've had in terms of the way we attacked and the overall balance.

"Our fans always support us but we have to give the energy back and then it comes back to the pitch too and the players feel the energy by their actions, the way they work and every action they ignite the crowd. When we attack and the effort to defend.

"We still have to regret some aspects but let's not ignore the things we did very well."

On Morgan Gibbs-White: "He's very talented, no doubt about that. He's reaching the levels of a footballer player that is almost complete. He reads the game well, he has talent, he can score. The biggest challenge is to keep Morgan at that level and sustain this level of all the players. Many players did well behind him to allow him to attack."

On improving on performance: "We had clear chances by an inch that we did not achieve. We will keep repeating so we can take 100% of them and try to reach perfection that is our main obsession.

"It's important but it can not distract us because we have a long way to go. We've had good performances before and not been able to sustain them so let's take that into this game and try to sustain the performance."

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Former Everton and Sheffield United defender Phil Jagielka on BBC Radio 5 Live:

"That is exactly the result and performance Nottingham Forest needed.

"When the City Ground is in full voice like that it is an amazing stadium to play at but it is difficult for the fans to create that atmosphere when they go to home games if they are nervous and worried.

"They had been docked a few points which they are hoping to get back, but the win tonight is massive for them. To bounce back in this manner and get the result is great and puts down a bit of marker to Luton Town for tomorrow who will need a result themselves to keep pace.

"The new approach brought in by Nuno Espirito Santo to Forest, they play with two wide men who make the pitch really big and have a target man up top - that gives Morgan Gibbs-White the space in the pockets to pick up the ball and create.

"He is a very inventive player and they are the areas you want him to be picking up the ball in and expressing himself... To be involved in all three goals in the game shows just how fantastic a game he had.

"Forest will be hoping that they can go on and build on the win now and record a few more."

Here are the key facts and figures following Nottingham Forest's Premier League win over Fulham:

• Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in each of their past three league games (W1 D2), their longest run since three successive draws in October earlier this season.

• Fulham have conceded at least three goals in successive Premier League games for the first time since March 2023, while they've won just one of their past 15 away league matches (D5 L9).

• Fulham's three substitutes in the 33rd minute is the second-earliest a side has made three substitutions in a Premier League game after Stoke made their third against Sunderland in the 30th minute in February 2009.

• Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood has scored in three successive Premier League games for the first time since May 2021, with the final game in that run coming against Fulham, which was also the last time he scored from outside the box in the competition before this game.

• Callum Hudson-Odoi's five Premier League goals for Nottingham Forest this season (22 games) is one more than he managed in 72 appearances in the competition for Chelsea (four).

• Andreas Pereira has seven assists from dead balls since the since the start of last season in the Premier League for Fulham, with only James Ward-Prowse recording more during that time.

Nottingham Forest gave their hopes of Premier League survival a crucial boost with a convincing victory over Fulham at the City Ground.

Despite Fulham threatening a comeback in the second period, the home side's three first-half goals were enough to move them three points clear of the relegation zone.

Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring after nine minutes, cutting inside and slotting home after Morgan Gibbs-White's sublime threaded pass found the forward on the left-hand side.

Chris Wood continued his impressive goalscoring form 10 minutes later with a superb strike from range - his eighth in nine appearances - before Gibbs-White added a third, placing a low drive into the bottom corner.

It looked like Forest had the points wrapped up by half-time but a breathless second period began with Tosin Adarabioyo's glancing header pulling one back for the visitors after just five minutes.

Chances were in abundance at both ends as Neco Williams hammered a shot off the bar and a fine Matz Sels save denied Adarabioyo a second, while Kenny Tete clipped the underside of the bar.

The result leaves Fulham 12th while 17th-placed Forest will travel to Tottenham on Sunday with renewed confidence about their hopes of staying up.

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For the midweek matches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, he takes on UB40 drummer and Birmingham City fan Jimmy Brown.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I was wrong when I thought Fulham would beat Sheffield United on Saturday, and Marco Silva's side have not picked up many points on the road this season.

So Nottingham Forest will definitely see this as a winnable game - but the same applied to their past two fixtures, against Luton Town and Crystal Palace, and they did not win either of those.

Chris Wood is bailing Forest out at the moment with some important goals, and I would not be surprised if he scored again - but I expect this one will end up being a draw.

Brown's prediction: 2-1

Read the rest of their predictions here

Newcastle United and Tottenham have been told they will have to pay more than £50m if they want to sign midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, who may be forced to move because of their financial difficulties. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column