Soccer

Premier League: Nottingham Forest climb to second; Ouattara rescues point for Bournemouth at Fulham

Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White earned Forest the win at Goodison Park

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates scoring against Everton's Jordan Pickford at Goodison Park. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates scoring against Everton's Jordan Pickford at Goodison Park. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Sun Dec 29 2024 - 17:45
Premier League: Everton 0 Nottingham Forest 2

Goals from Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White gave Nottingham Forest a 2-0 win over Everton on Sunday to move up to the heady heights of second in the Premier League after another superb performance away from home.

The win gives Forest 37 points after 19 games, five behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand and who face West Ham United later on Sunday, and one ahead of third-placed Arsenal, who are not in action again until New Year’s Day.

The visitors took the lead in the 15th minute as Wood nodded a long ball to Anthony Elanga, and the Swedish winger headed it back into his path, teeing Wood up to deftly lift it over the advancing Jordan Pickford and into the net.

Gibbs-White made it two on the hour mark as Wood rescued a broken-down counter-attack by sliding the ball through to him in the penalty area to fire home, and Everton could not find their way back into the game as their four-match unbeaten run came to an end.

READ SOME MORE
Crystal Palace 2 Southampton 1

Crystal Palace edged bottom-placed Southampton 2-1 at Selhurst Park, securing their second home win in the Premier League thanks to goals from Eberechi Eze and Trevor Chalobah.

The victory lifted Palace one place in the standings to 15th, while Southampton remained winless under new manager Ivan Juric, suffering a second consecutive defeat following their 1-0 loss to West Ham United on Thursday.

Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring Crystal Palace's second goal against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring Crystal Palace's second goal against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Southampton had the more energetic start and took the lead in the 14th minute after Kyle Walker-Peters skipped past Daniel Munoz and his cross found Adam Armstrong, who set up Tyler Dibling for a simple tap-in.

Palace pressed hard for an equaliser and made it 1-1 in the 31st minute when Trevor Chalobah headed in from a corner before Eze sealed the three points for the home side with a strike from the edge of the box.

Fulham 2 Bournemouth 2

Fulham were held to a 2-2 home draw by Bournemouth after Dango Ouattara scored a late equaliser for the visitors in an end-to-end clash at Craven Cottage.

Fulham took the lead in the 40th minute from a corner kick when Raul Jimenez powered home a header, and Bournemouth equalised six minutes after the restart when Evanilson volleyed the ball past Bernd Leno from a tight angle.

Fulham restored their lead in the 72nd minute when Harry Wilson headed in his second goal in as many games before Bournemouth substitute Ouattara chipped the ball over keeper Bernd Leno in the 89th minute.

The result leaves Bournemouth in sixth place with 30 points at the halfway mark this season, while Fulham are a point behind in eighth, below seventh-placed Newcastle United on goal difference.