Nottingham Forest Stun Spurs to Keep Champions League Dream Alive
Nottingham Forest traveled to North London on Monday night and pulled off a surprise 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, reigniting their hopes of securing a Champions League spot.
After recent losses to Aston Villa and Everton, Forest had come under criticism, with pundits questioning the direction under Nuno Espirito Santo. But the Forest boss, returning to face his former club, arrived with a steely determination and a mission to grab a vital three points.
Forest’s goals came from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood, while Richarlison’s late strike served only as a consolation. The win was underpinned by disciplined defending, with goalkeeper Matz Sels earning praise from Dejan Kulusevski for his performance.
Harry Toffolo Shines on Rare Start
One of the standout performers was Harry Toffolo, making his first Premier League start of the season. Espirito Santo rotated his squad ahead of the FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City, giving Toffolo a chance—and he didn’t disappoint.
Tasked with handling Wilson Odobert and later Brennan Johnson, Toffolo impressed throughout and made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Kulusevski. The moment was lauded by Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football podcast as a piece of magic.
“A shout out to Toffolo for the clearance off the line. Boy, oh boy, that was special,” Lineker said. Alan Shearer echoed the sentiment, calling it “incredible” and “unbelievable.”
Toffolo’s Numbers and Future Uncertainty
Toffolo’s display has given his manager a selection headache ahead of Sunday’s semi-final. Playing the full 90 minutes, he registered three tackles and three clearances, earning a WhoScored rating of 7.24.
With his contract set to expire this summer, this may be Toffolo’s final season at the City Ground. Given the current injuries and suspensions in Forest’s squad, he could very well get the nod for another appearance at Wembley.
