Everton down Forest to go five points clear of relegation zone
Optimism has been in short supply for both sides in recent weeks, blighted by points deductions and experiencing sobering runs of form in their respective bids to avoid the drop from the top flight.
Forest were first to test the water when Jordan Pickford was called into action early on to deny Neco Williams from close range. Sean Dyche’s side were pressing well and created a promising opening when Dominic Calvert-Lewin met Dwight McNeil’s enticing cross with a header which went straight into the hands of Matz Sels.
The Toffees broke the deadlock just shy of the half-hour mark courtesy of Idrissa Gueye, who guided a well-controlled strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner after Ola Aina headed away Vitaliy Mykolenko’s cross into the Senegal international’s path.
Despite looking nervous at times in this match, Pickford did brilliantly to maintain Everton’s advantage with a superb save from point-blank range to deny Chris Wood in his 250th Premire League appearance for the Merseysiders.
Ashley Young was involved in two questionable Forest penalty appeals that were turned down; the first was his challenge which saw Gio Reyna go down in the box, while the second was a handball call from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s attempted cross that looked more clear-cut.
Nuno Espírito Santo would have been pleased with his side’s revival after the break, but Morgan Gibbs-White was left to rue a golden missed opportunity to restore parity after opening up his body and shooting wide from a promising position.
That missed chance proved costly, as Everton doubled their lead through McNeil. The former Burnley man linked up well with Abdoulaye Doucouré, took the ball in a central position and saw his long range effort clip in off the post. It was the perfect way to mark his 200th Premier League appearance and left the Toffees firmly on course for three precious points.
Beto was knocked unconscious following a collision with Gibbs-White late on and was stretchered off the pitch, but encouragingly gave a thumbs-up gesture to the crowd as he departed.
Dyche’s men rode their luck at times here, but held on to secure what was only a second victory in their previous 16 Premier League games. It is a result which moves them five points clear of the bottom three, while Forest remain a mere point above Luton Town in the dreaded drop zone with four games left of the season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dwight McNeil (Everton)
