Full-time
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.
Read more, here
Forest trying to turn the screw, and the crowd are really doing their best to urge them on
Milenkovic just headed wide from a corner
MGW continues to be involved in some lovely link-up play. Anderson is working so hard. CHO and Elanga looking lively. Bit of patience needed as Forest are getting into some good positions
Eeeek
Somehow it is still 1-0 but that was close
Spurs cause problems at a corner and manage to keep the move alive. Sels with another excellent save, again to deny Johnson - this time from close range
Forest could really do with a second goal. Under the cosh a bit
Wood tries to lay it off for MGW after another quick Forest box. Just a little too much on the ball from the front man.
Not long until half-time. Wonder if Nuno will consider making a change at the break. Yates being on a booking might come into this thinking. Bring JWP on maybe?
Game has calmed down a little bit in the last few minutes after a fast-paced start. Fans getting a little frustrated with the inconsistency of the refereeing. Fair few free-kicks being given - and some of the fouls look more like yellow cards than the Yates one.
Home crowd gave Spence a bit of stick when he was on the ball, chanting 'you used to play for a big club'
Booking
Yates gets a very early yellow card for a foul. Doesn't just mean he will have to walk a tightrope for a long time in this game, it also means he is ruled out of the next match for picking up five bookings so far this season in the league.
Forest will have Dominguez back for the Everton game, though. He is not involved today due to picking up five bookings himself.
Meanwhile, CHO went on a very good run and had a go at goal, just couldn't get his effort on target
Almost time
Teams are out. Ryan Yates leads out the Reds, with the midfielder back in the XI after being on the bench last time out.
Kick-off is just a few minutes away now. Nuno gets a terrific reception as he follows the players out before the Premier League anthem receives loud boos.
Going to be an interesting game today. Good festive atmosphere at the City Ground - will we be calling this a cracker of a match??! Sorry!
Opposition view
Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is eager to make up for lost time ahead of his return for the Boxing Day trip to Nottingham Forest.
Bentancur has sat out Spurs’ last seven domestic matches due to a Football Association suspension for racist remarks about captain Son Heung-min earlier this year.
The absence of the 27-year-old Uruguay international has occurred at the worst time for head coach Postecoglou, who has been without a string of senior players for a jam-packed December and watched his depleted squad struggle for consistency.
“Even the injured guys, they are around the group all the time and they want to help, they want to contribute,” Postecoglou said.
Read more, here
The line-up
Wondered if Nuno might have stuck with a back three today but not too much of a surprise to see him revert to a four. No real need to make too many other changes after good performance last time out.
Can see there being gaols today. Spurs do concede a lot. They can score a lot, too, but Forest's defence has generally been superb so far this season so hopefully same again on that front.
Interesting that there was a huddle of Aina, Elanga, Awoniyi and Moreira in the centre circle when the players were having a walk around on the pitch just now. They spent quite a few minutes huddled together. Plenty of handshakes and hugs for Brennan Johnson and Djed Spence as they saw a few familiar faces among staff at the club and some of the players.
Team news
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Tottenham Hotspur in today’s big Boxing Day clash.
The Reds go into today’s game looking to extend their winning streak in the Premier League. They made it three victories in a row by seeing off Brentford 2-0 last time out.
Goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga saw Forest become the first team to inflict defeat on the Bees at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. And the three points meant they spent Christmas in fourth spot in the table.
Read more, here
Dream transfer window
Nottingham Forest have enough experience to know that transfer windows do not always go to plan.
But the Reds will be well aware how much of a difference the right deals could make as January looms large on the horizon. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been going well in the Premier League and the club will want to build on those foundations.
Forest shouldn’t need to do too much business next month. Below, NottinghamshireLive analyses what a dream transfer window would look like at the City Ground.
Read more, here.
Still time to get your copy
December’s issue of Women’s Football New is on sale now. It’s available to buy for only £3.50 at participating retailers and you can buy it online here.
Georgia Stanway knows what it's like to win a major trophy with England - and having done it once, she wants to do it again!
One of the heroes of the 2022 Euros, the Bayern Munich midfielder will be key to the Lionesses' chances of defending their trophy in Switzerland next summer.
But the midfielder knows it won't be easy and tells the December edition of Women's Football News that the squad knows they have a target on their back following their success two years ago.
As part of a Lionesses special, we look at the three key areas boss Sarina Wiegman needs to address ahead of next summer, and study what their recent friendlies show about their chances of going back-to-back.
We have an exclusive interview with Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor on what is driving their bid for glory this season, while Erin Cuthbert tells us how new manager Sonia Bompastor has done the impossible - replacing Emma Hayes at Chelsea.
Don’t miss this month’s Women’s Football News - buy your copy now!
Good afternoon
Hello all - and Happy Christmas! Hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday.
It's the traditional Boxing Day fare now! A big clash on the banks of the Trent as Forest host Spurs.
Nuno coming up against his old club and a return Trentside for Brennan Johnson.
A win like Boxing Day last year would be nice - that win away to Newcastle United was certainly a memorable one.
Team news is going to be interesting. Some big decisions for Nuno. We will bring you the starting line-up shortly