Dec 22,2024
Nottingham Forest struck a significant blow in their unlikely bid to qualify for the Champions League as they ended Brentford's unbeaten Premier League home record with a 2-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium.
It was a third victory in a row for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team, whose credentials for a possible top-four finish are growing harder to ignore, and the confident, assured manner in which they dealt with Brentford – previously untouchable on this ground – only reinforced that sentiment.
Ola Aina swept home late in the first half to hand Forest the lead after they had survived some nervous wobbles in defence.
World-famous model Claudia Schiffer was in attendance in west London and she witnessed more ghastly defending in the second half when Keane Lewis-Potter presented the ball to Anthony Elanga, who finished unerringly for 2-0.
Brentford had seven wins from eight here and did not give up their proud record lightly. There might have been a tighter finish to things had Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels not produced one of the saves of the season to keep out Kristoffer Ajer midway through the second half, but despite the Bees’ busy industry to try and salvage a point, Forest’s greater quality told.
A hat-trick from Alexander Isak helped Newcastle follow up a midweek Carabao Cup success with a 4-0 thrashing at Ipswich to give their supporters the perfect week before Christmas.
The Magpies entered this fixture after they secured a place in the League Cup semi-finals on Wednesday with a 3-1 victory over Brentford to remain on track for a first major trophy since 1969.
Any concerns this could be a case of after the Lord Mayor's show evaporated within 26 seconds when Isak fired home his first after a lengthy VAR check.
Ex-Norwich attacker Jacob Murphy set up the opener and was a constant threat against the rivals of his old club as he grabbed Newcastle’s second before his back heel allowed Isak to complete a 54-minute treble, after he also struck at the end of the first half following more woeful Ipswich defending.
It ensured Eddie Howe masterminded a third consecutive victory, while Kieran McKenna’s side are left to lick their wounds on a day to forget.
Mohammed Kudus earned West Ham a point against bogey side Brighton in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.
The Ghana winger headed his third of the season, and his first since completing a five-match ban for his red card at Tottenham in October, to cancel out Mats Wieffer's maiden goal for Brighton.
The Seagulls came closest to grabbing a winner but were unable to prevent their run without a victory stretching to five matches.
However, they did maintain their record of not losing at the London Stadium in all eight of their Premier League visits.
