Tottenham Hotspur have moved into fourth position in the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in North London.
The two teams were level at the interval, with Chris Wood cancelling out an opener from Spurs, which had arrived when Forest centre-back Murillo turned into the back of his own net.
Tottenham were back ahead in the 53rd minute courtesy of a wonderful strike from Micky van de Ven, though, before Pedro Porro netted a third for the hosts five minutes later.
Spurs have moved ahead of Aston Villa into fourth on goal difference, with the capital side also having a game in hand on the side now in fifth, while Forest, who had been unbeaten in three games ahead of this fixture, remain 17th, level on points with 18th-placed Luton Town.
The hosts had a half-chance in just the second minute of the contest in North London, with Yves Bissouma trying his luck from distance, but his effort was always rising over the Forest crossbar.
It was all Tottenham in the early exchanges, but Forest came close to a spectacular opener in the 11th minute, with central defender Murillo trying his luck from inside his own half after spotting Guglielmo Vicario off his line, and it dropped just wide of the home side's goal.
Tottenham managed to make the breakthrough in the 16th minute of the contest, though, and it was an own goal from Murillo, who turned a low cross from Timo Werner into the back of his own net.
Bissouma came close to doubling the home side's advantage in the 17th minute, but his powerful drive was always swinging away from the goal.
Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels then denied Bissouma in the 25th minute with a smart save, as Ange Postecoglou's side searched for a second at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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The visitors were level in the 27th minute of the contest against the run of play, though, with Wood turning a low cross from Anthony Elanga into the back of the net with a smart finish.
Wood should have sent Forest ahead in the 34th minute, with the striker presented with the ball in front of the goal after Vicario had kept out an effort from Ryan Yates, but he somehow struck against the post.
Vicario again had to be alert to keep out an effort from Elanga in the period that followed, with Forest looking dangerous on the transition, and there is no question that the leveller from Wood harmed the hosts.
Forest goalkeeper Sels made a brilliant save to keep out a strike from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the early stages of the second period, with Tottenham starting on the front foot.
Spurs managed to regain the lead in the 53rd minute of the match, and it was a rasping strike from Van de Ven, who picked out the top corner with a thumping effort from just inside the Forest penalty box.
Callum Hudson-Odoi turned one into the side-netting, with Forest looking to respond to the setback, but Tottenham scored their third of the match in the 58th minute through Porro, who fired into the back of the net from inside the box after Rodrigo Bentancur helped on a cross from James Maddison.
Spurs came close to a fourth just past the hour, with Maddison striking from distance, but the England international's effort was deflected just wide of the post.
Hojbjerg was then denied by the Forest goalkeeper, and the visitors were finding it difficult to launch a response, with the two Tottenham goals early in the second period taking it out of the strugglers.
Son Heung-min came close to adding a fourth for Spurs in the 85th minute, but Sels was on hand to make an excellent save, and the home side ultimately declared at three on home soil.
Both teams will return to action on Saturday, with Tottenham heading to Newcastle United in the early start, before Forest tackle Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground.
Matt Law
