Chris Wood netted a hat-trick alongside three Anthony Elanga assists to fire Nottingham Forest to a dominant 7-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the City Ground.
A week on from falling to a heavy 5-0 defeat against Bournemouth, Forest found themselves on the right side of a sizeable scoreline, producing a scintillating performance against a subpar Brighton side to get their Champions League push back on track.
Morgan Gibbs-White made a positive start to his 100th appearance for the East Midlands club, forcing Lewis Dunk to put the ball into his own net with a dangerous cross, before heading in from Elanga's corner to give the hosts a two-goal lead.
Elanga and Wood then took over the mantle from Gibbs-White, with the former providing two more assists to help the latter add two more goals to Forest's tally.
The New Zealand international then netted his third from the penalty spot to become the first Forest player to score a top-flight hat-trick at the City Ground since Nigel Clough in December 1987.
There was still plenty of time for Neco Williams and Jota Silva to wrap up Forest's biggest top-flight victory since April 1991.
The commanding win moves the third-placed side level on 47 points with Arsenal in second position, while Brighton are 13 points worse off in ninth spot in the Premier League table.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
After Forest were swept aside by Bournemouth last weekend, there may have been some concern that their Champions League qualification bid would lose momentum.
However, they showed immense character to vanquish those fears inside the opening 32 minutes, racking up three goals to surge into a commanding lead which only grew bigger as they demonstrated their top-four credentials.
For as good as Forest was, Brighton were equally as bad, producing a feeble display and showing a lack of fight when the going got tough at the City Ground.
They may be sitting in the top half of the table, but Hurzeler will have to answer some difficult questions about how easily his team was taken apart.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION HIGHLIGHTS
Dunk own goal vs. Brighton (12th min, Forest 1-0 Brighton)
Nottingham Forest open the scoring early through an own goal by Lewis Dunk 🫣
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/5MsWRzsmMs
Disaster for Dunk! Gibbs-White looks to send in a dangerous ball between goalkeeper and the Brighton backline. Dunk sticks out a left boot in an attempt to deal with the low cross, but he can only send the ball into his own net to the delight of the home support.
Gibbs-White goal vs. Brighton (25th min, Forest 2-0 Brighton)
Morgan Gibbs-White marks his 100th Nottingham Forest appearance with a goal 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/6LEFyhqbeS
After forcing Dunk into a mistake for the opener, Gibbs-White gets his own name of the scoresheet to double the home side's advantage. The England international makes the run to meet Elanga's near-post corner, sending his glancing header past Bart Verbruggen.
Wood goal vs. Brighton (32nd min, Forest 3-0 Brighton)
Chris Wood gets his customary goal to make it 3-0 to the home side 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/GYOrezEMbf
Game over? The game may only be in the 32nd minute but Brighton already seem to be out of the contest. Wood peels away from Jan Paul van Hecke to head home from Elanga's inch-perfect delivery to establish a three-goal lead.
Wood goal vs. Brighton (64th min, Forest 4-0 Brighton)
Chris Wood gets his second goal of the game and his 16th of the season 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/0Sg3160Wci
Elanga has a hat-trick of assists. The former Manchester United winger drives towards the byline before squaring the ball for Wood to tap home his second goal of the contest.
Wood goal vs. Brighton (70th min, Forest 5-0 Brighton)
Chris Wood gets his hat-trick from 12 yards 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/CeeQhdzslx
Wood gets the chance to complete his hat-trick from the spot after Tariq Lamptey is penalised for holding in the box. The Forest forward keeps his composure to send Verbruggen the wrong way to score his third and Forest's fifth goal of a memorable display.
Williams goal vs. Brighton (89th min, Forest 6-0 Brighton)
Forest hit Brighton for 6⃣🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fHOoollMYs
It gets worse for the Seagulls. Verbruggen makes a smart save to keep Taiwo Awoniyi at bay. However, the ball eventually falls to Williams, who thumps home his first goal of the season.
Jota goal vs. Brighton (91st min, Forest 7-0 Brighton)
7-0... 🤯
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/i18HDNdwae
Verbruggen may have counted himself unlucky for Williams's goal, but he was at fault for Forest's seventh in stoppage time. The goalkeeper gifts possession to Jota, who quickly moves into the box before driving the ball into the net.
MAN OF THE MATCH - CHRIS WOOD
© Imago
On any other day, Elanga would have been a more than deserving Man of the Match after registering a hat-trick of assists.
However, our pick has to go to the player who netted three of Forest's seven goals, with Wood showcasing his prolific nature in front of goal to score a memorable hat-trick.
Wood took his tall to 17 Premier League goals for the season, moving him to joint-third place in the scoring charts ahead of the 3pm kick-offs.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION MATCH STATS
Possession: Forest 37%-63% Brighton
Shots: Forest 14-10 Brighton
Shots on target: Forest 9-5 Brighton
Corners: Forest 4-6 Brighton
Fouls: Forest 8-13 Brighton
BEST STATS
7 - Lewis Dunk has scored seven own goals in the Premier League; only Richard Dunne (10) has put through his own net more in the competition's history. Dairylea. pic.twitter.com/WDvzI0RW9j
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 1, 2025
5 - Nottingham Forest are only the second side in Premier League history to lose a game by 5+ goals and then follow it up by immediately winning their next in the competition by 5+, after Sheffield Wednesday in November 1997 (1-6 v Man Utd, 5-0 v Bolton). Response. pic.twitter.com/mnd6nDJqFb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 1, 2025
Nottingham Forest players to asssit 3+ goals in a single PL game:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) February 1, 2025
— Anthony Elanga today
— Bryan Roy in 1995 pic.twitter.com/5MUTWAB2Cd
7 - Nottingham Forest enjoyed their biggest league victory since beating Chelsea 7-0 in the top-flight in April 1991. Meanwhile, this was Brighton's heaviest league defeat since a 9-0 loss at Middlesbrough on the opening day of the 1958-59 season in the second tier. Resounding. pic.twitter.com/VizSSWnKue
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 1, 2025
Chris Wood scored a hat-trick of goals and Anthony Elanga provided a hat-trick of assists today.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 1, 2025
The last pair to achieve this feat in the Premier League was Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba vs. Leeds in 2021 🤝 pic.twitter.com/DTJokUC7NX
WHAT NEXT?
Forest will have plenty of time to reflect upon their dominant win before they return to action in an FA Cup fourth-round clash against Exeter City on February 11.
As for the Seagulls, they will look to produce a positive response when they welcome Chelsea to the Amex Stadium for next Saturday's FA Cup fixture.
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