Hudson-Odoi drags Forest to vital three points at Sheffield United

Ryan Fisher

Callum Hudson-Odoi of Nottingham Forest celebrates scoring his team's third goalAFP

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a brace as Nottingham Forest took a huge step towards Premier League (PL) survival, as a 3-1 win over already-relegated Sheffield United at Bramall Lane pulled Nuno Espírito Santo’s men three points clear of the drop zone.

After Luton Town failed to beat Everton on Friday night, the door was open for Forest to pull clear of danger in the survival scrap.

And after spurning a number of chances in defeat to Manchester City last week, the Tricky Trees picked up where they left off as Morgan Gibbs-White found Chris Wood on the break, but the striker could only volley wide from close range.

That miss was punished on the quarter-hour when Gonzalo Montiel’s dreadful challenge on Ben Brereton Díaz inside the box got what it deserved, with the Chile international rifling home the subsequent penalty.

Ben Brereton Diaz of Sheffield United celebrates scoring his team's first goal from a penalty kickAFP

Sheffield United’s lead could’ve been doubled soon after if not for a goal-saving challenge from Murillo to deny Cameron Archer.

Forest, who rode their luck throughout the opening period, netted with their only shot on target of the half as Hudson-Odoi arrowed an effort into the far corner beyond a helpless Wes Foderingham.

Once again however, Chris Wilder was left perplexed that his side weren’t ahead at the break, with Jayden Bogle, Brereton Díaz, Archer, and Gustavo Hamer all going close to restoring the hosts’ lead, while Wood rattled the crossbar at the other end.

Ryan Yates of Nottingham Forest celebrates scoring his team's second goalAFP

As has been the case so often in recent weeks, Sheffield United’s failure to turn dominance into goals cost them following the restart as Forest edged ahead.

The hosts missed several chances to deal with a Gibbs-White free-kick, and the loose ball was seized upon by Ryan Yates, who netted his first-ever PL goal with a venomous strike past Foderingham.

Callum Hudson-Odoi of Nottingham Forest scores his team's third goalAFP

Hamer and Brereton Díaz then came close to restoring parity, but the contest was finally beyond the beleaguered Blades when, moments after cutting in from the left and striking the far post, Hudson-Odoi was allowed to make the same movement and this time made no mistake in finding the bottom corner.

Remarkably, that was the 100th goal that Sheffield United have conceded in the PL this season, and a fifth consecutive loss guarantees that they’ll finish bottom of the table after a miserable campaign, with a late red card for Anel Ahmedhodzic compounding another dreadful defeat.