Nottingham Forest delivered a stunning performance on Saturday, destroying Brighton 7-0 at the City Ground.
Striker Chris Wood led the charge with a magnificent hat-trick, helping his team bounce back from last week’s 5-0 humiliation against Bournemouth.
Forest on Fire
This massive win moves Forest to 47 points after 24 games. They are now third in the English Premier League standings and level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
Brighton, on the other hand, remain ninth with 34 points. This was Forest’s biggest win since their legendary 7-0 thrashing of Chelsea in 1991.
Early Own Goal Opens the Floodgates
The match started in dramatic fashion when Brighton’s captain, Lewis Dunk, turned Morgan Gibbs-White’s low cross into his own net in the 12th minute.
Brighton’s troubles continued when Gibbs-White doubled Forest’s lead in the 25th minute with a well-placed header from Anthony Elanga’s corner.
Seven minutes later, Forest made it 3-0. Chris Wood, left unmarked, easily headed home Elanga’s brilliant cross past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Brighton’s best chance of the first half came from Danny Welbeck, whose powerful shot struck the underside of the crossbar but failed to cross the line.
Chris Wood Dominates the Second Half
After the break, Forest showed no mercy. In the 64th minute, Elanga once again set up Wood, who tapped in from close range to make it 4-0.
Just five minutes later, Tariq Lamptey fouled Gibbs-White in the box, gifting Wood the perfect chance to seal his hat-trick. The New Zealand striker coolly slotted the penalty past Verbruggen to make it 5-0.
Forest was not done yet. In the 89th minute, Neco Williams pounced on a loose ball and smashed it into the net for 6-0. The final goal came in stoppage time, with Jota Silva capitalizing on a defensive error to fire home a low strike. The City Ground erupted as fans chanted, “We want eight!”
Chris Wood and Elanga Shine
Wood has now scored 17 league goals this season, with seven coming in his last six matches. Elanga was also brilliant, providing three assists and tormenting Brighton’s defense throughout the game.
“What a difference a week makes! Last week wasn’t us. Today, this was definitely us,” Wood said in a post-match interview. “The boys showed character, and we gave the fans something special.”
Brighton’s Worst Defeat in Decades
This was Brighton’s heaviest loss since a 9-0 defeat against Middlesbrough in 1958. They were completely outplayed, failing to cope with Forest’s relentless attacks.
Coach Fabian Hurzeler made three substitutions at halftime to stop the bleeding, but Forest kept pushing forward.
Brighton managed a few attempts on goal, including a shot from Yankuba Minteh that was saved by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. However, their attack lacked sharpness, and they were punished heavily.
Forest Eye Champions League Spot
Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo praised his team’s response to last week’s loss. “The answer today was fantastic.
We got punched last week, but we got up strong,” he said. With this win, Forest strengthens their hopes of securing a Champions League spot next season.
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