Nottingham Forest player ratings as duo shine in big Tottenham win but Reds favourite sent off

Nottingham Forest made it four wins on the bounce as they toppled Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on the banks of the Trent.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side went into the Boxing Day clash looking to maintain their winning run after seeing off Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brentford. A fast-paced start to the game saw chances at both ends of the pitch but it was the hosts who eventually made the breakthrough.

Matz Sels made a smart save to keep out ex-Forest man Brennan Johnson and a few minutes later the Reds took the lead. Morgan Gibbs-White played a delightful through-ball for Elanga, who finished superbly with 28 minutes gone.

Sels came up trumps with another brilliant stop to thwart Johnson just before the break, then he did the same again soon after the restart. It continued to be an open affair in the second half and Forest found themselves on the back foot for a significant spell.

Spurs finished the match with 10 men as Forest promotion hero Djed Spence was sent off for a second bookable offence against his former club. The final whistle went soon after, with the Reds moving up to third in the table. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.

Matz Sels: Three big saves to keep out Johnson, and they proved to be the difference. Is having a superb season and has been such a key player for the Reds. Rating: 9/10

Ola Aina: Steady as you like. The full-back is just so consistent. Played a key part in helping to keep out the visitors and record another clean-sheet. Rating: 8/10

Nikola Milenkovic: Defensive partnership with Murillo continues to go from strength to strength. The Reds had to soak up a fair bit of pressure as the visitors saw plenty of the ball so the shut-out was a well-earned one. Rating: 8.5/10

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Premier League
Watch the Premier League on Prime Video

Amazon's Prime Video is broadcasting the Premier League Boxing Day round of fixtures on December 26-27.

Each match can be streamed free with an Amazon Prime subscription or by signing up for an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial.

£0

Amazon
Get Amazon Prime here

Murillo: A rare misplaced pass almost proved costly in the opening minutes but he quickly put that behind him and was immense after that. Chipped in with countless big blocks and interventions. Rating: 9/10

Neco Williams: Contribution summed up with an important bit of defending in the second half when he kept his cool to shut down Dominic Solanke. Seems to have cemented his place back in the starting XI. Rating: 8.5/10

Ryan Yates: Not only left having to walk a tightrope after a very early booking, has also been ruled out of Sunday’s trip to Everton due to it being his fifth yellow card of the season. Didn’t stop him getting stuck in, though. Rating: 8/10

Elliot Anderson: Easy to lose count of the number of times he won the ball for his team. Wasn’t ideal for the Reds having both central midfielders on a booking going into the second half, but they managed the situation well. Rating: 8.5/10

Anthony Elanga: Three in three for the winger, and this one was another delightful finish. Kept his composure well to find the back of the net. Full of confidence right now. Rating: 8.5/10

Morgan Gibbs-White: Brilliant assist with a heck of a through-ball for Elanga’s goal. Got a deserved standing ovation when he came off - not that he was alone in receiving such a reception. Rating: 8.5/10

Callum Hudson-Odoi: Lively all afternoon as Forest caused their opponents problems on the counterattack. Helped his team get in some good positions, even if they didn’t quite make the most of them. Rating: 8.5/10

Chris Wood: Didn’t really get an opportunity in front of goal but worked hard throughout. Helped out with some of the defensive work and closing down when required. Rating: 7.5/10

Subs

Morato (for Elanga, 74mins): Did his usual job of helping to see out the result. A massive positive for Nuno to have such a reliable defender to call upon from the bench. Rating: 8/10

James Ward-Prowse (for Anderson, 82mins): First minutes in more than a month for the West Ham United loanee. Did his bit in the closing minutes. Rating: 7/10

Jota Silva (for Gibbs-White, 82mins): Brought some fresh legs into the equation, just when the Reds needed them. Was a case of having to dig in towards the end. Rating: 7/10

Ramon Sosa (for Hudson-Odoi, 86mins): More minutes for the summer signing, even if it was tricky to make much of an impact in them. Always brings energy, though. Rating: 7/10

Taiwo Awoniyi (for Wood, 86mins): Almost worked soon after coming on. First goal of the season continues to prove elusive, though. Rating: 7.5/10

Subs not used: Miguel, Toffolo, Moreno, Boly.

How would you rate the Reds against Spurs? Click HERE to have your say