Just when they need to sprint for the line, Nottingham Forest’s bid for Champions League football is starting to falter.
So effective at home all season, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men barely created a chance all day and were sunk in the fourth minute of stoppage time by Abdoulaye Doucoure’s winning strike for Everton, following a decisive mistake by Murillo. Forest remain third but are starting to feel the breath of their pursuers on their necks.
Both Manchester City and Aston Villa won earlier in the day and if Chelsea and Newcastle do the same on Sunday, only two points will separate Forest from the team in sixth place. Five teams will qualify for the Champions League next term.
This was only the third win from 68 away matches for Everton against teams starting the day in the top three. David Moyes’ side long since secured survival. Forest still have everything to play for.
With the return of Chris Wood after three games out with a hip injury, Nuno opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Jota Silva partnering Forest’s top scorer and Anthony Elanga surprisingly left on the bench.
Former Arsenal sporting director Edu is expected to join Forest in the summer and he was among the spectators today. The Brazilian is likely to hold a key role across the clubs controlled by owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a last-gasp winner for Everton as they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0
Docoure’s strike in the 94th minute came on the counter attack and sparked wild scenes
Doucoure’s third goal of the season came after he finished cooly from Dwight McNeil’s pass
If the idea was to give Everton’s giant defenders a little more to think about, it did not have the desired effect.
Forest did not test Jordan Pickford until the 27th minute, when Jota collected a pass from Alex Moreno but shot weakly at the England goalkeeper.
By then Everton had had two attempts of their own. The first, a tame effort from Iliman Ndiaye, did not trouble Matz Sels but the Forest keeper had to be sharp to keep out James Garner moments later.
Garner had a successful loan spell here three years ago and had run untracked on to Jack Harrison’s reverse pass.
Operating as part of a central midfield duo, Morgan Gibbs-White was struggling to influence the game higher up the pitch. His strike from 30 yards not long before half-time was hit cleanly but missed the target.
Callum Hudson-Odoi was Forest’s only orthodox winger and had been given little change by Jake O’Brien. With seconds of the half remaining, Hudson-Odoi finally escaped his full-back and Pickford made his first difficult save.
The Forest wide man found shooting space once more soon after the break following good work by Elliot Anderson though once more, his effort was too close to Pickford.
Seconds later, Forest were caught cold by James Tarkowski’s ball over the top and Sels took the sting from Ndiaye’s effort, allowing Murillo to hammer clear.
The late defeat was a major blow for Forest in their battle to qualify for the Champions League
They were watched on by owner Evangelos Marinakis but have now lost two games in a row
Everton continue to impress under David Moyes and they were played well at the City Ground
The lack of invention was painful at times. Everton substitute Carlos Alcaraz tried to change things and was involved in the move that led to Harrison shooting just over the bar on the turn.
By now Forest had introduced Elanga but the match-winner against Manchester United, who picked up a knock in the 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend, could not make his presence felt, at least initially.
Forest dreamed of a winner when they won a later corner. Seconds later, the ball was in their net.
Murillo trod on the ball on halfway, Dwight McNeil raced clear and fed Doucoure, who beat Sels from close range.
