Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stoppage-time goal boosted Everton a 1-0 win at the City Ground which throws a wrench into Nottingham Forest’s quest to firm up their top-five plans.
WATCH — Nottingham Forest vs Everton full match replay
The surprise goal boosts Everton on 38 points, behind Manchester United on total wins, but more poignantly sinks Nottingham Forest further into a fight for a top-five place.
The Tricky Trees have 57 points, two more than fourth-place Man City and three more than fifth-place Villa, but two others could be within a point of Forest with a win (Chelsea) or above them with two wins (Newcastle) via matches-in-hand.
Returning star McNeil helps Moyes win ‘Who’s more grizzled?’ affair
From barely using subs to only begrudgingly keeping the ball, Nuno Espirito Santo and David Moyes entered the City Ground with plans to defend and counter-attack and perhaps, just perhaps, win 1-0. The scrap was very real, with both teams winning 47 duels and the game staying nil-nil into stoppage time, as Everton’s 13 shot attempts were superior to Forest’s 10 but the dangerous chances minimal and about the same. That’s when Dwight McNeil, whose absence played a large part in Sean Dyche losing his job and certainly set back Moyes’ chances of creating chances, came off the bench for the second-straight week. This time his steal ended up cueing in a huge Abdoulaye Doucoure goal — it seems like all of them are — to deliver three points to the visitors. McNeil is still just 25 until November and could be a huge part of what Moyes wants to do at Goodison Park. McNeil has four goals and six assists in just over 1,300 minutes across all competitions this season, better than he did in more than double that time last season. Everton scored one goal in five PL matches after McNeil hurt his knee on Dec. 4, and Dyche was fired after the Toffees went 3D-2L in that run.
Nottingham Forest vs Everton player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Nottingham Forest vs Everton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Nottingham Forest vs Everton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Everton host Man City at 10am ET Saturday, two days before Forest go to Tottenham Hotspur at 3pm (Monday, April 21).
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Everton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: City Ground — Nottingham
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Nottingham Forest vs Everton final score: 0-1
Abdoulaye Doucoure 90+4'
Nottingham Forest vs Everton live updates
Full time — Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton
A City Ground that opened the day in full throat is stunned into relative silence. How significant will this result be for Forest’s Champions League hopes?
Abdoulaye Doucoure goal — Forest 0-1 Everton (90+4')
Out of nothing.
A half that had produced nearly nothing ends by shaking up the Premier League’s top-five chase.
Forest are unlikely to take a point, as Toffees sub Dwight McNeil cues up a counter-attacking winner for Abdoulaye Doucoure!
Halftime — Nottingham Forest 0-0 Everton
This has been almost to a T, exactly the game many would’ve predicted during the week.
The only question would’ve been which team had more of the ball and which team was more on the counter. So far? Everton with 56% possession with Forest leading an unspectacular xG game 0.21-0.19.
Callum Hudson-Odoi forced a good save out of Jordan Pickford late but the chances have mostly been at a minimum.
Anyone’s game
Everton have won the possession battle and have a 5-3 shots edge, but Forest feel like they’ve produced just a bit more danger.
0-0, 35'.
Red card shout!
Jota Silva is chasing down a ball when he is blind-sided by Jarrad Branthwaite with a hard shoulder to the chest.
Branthwaite isn’t even the closest defender to the ball, mind you, and this is a classic hockey interference or basketball moving pick.
VAR has a look. Initially not even a yellow, there’s no red given to the big Everton back.
0-0, 12'.
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Moreno, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Dominguez, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Jota, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Everton lineup
Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, Ndiaye, Broja
Nottingham Forest vs Everton preview
Forest’s 57 points are good for third on the Premier League table, and the Tricky Trees hold a five-point cushion on sixth-place Manchester City. Their remaining fixture list bodes well for Nuno Espirito Santo’s goal of reaching the Champions League.
Everton have been a baffling side this side of the Festive Fixtures. They’ve only lost one Premier League match in their last 11 outings, going 4W-6D-1L since January 19, but they’re also winless in their last six.
The Toffees remain in a tough run of fixtures. Having lost to Everton and drawn Arsenal in their last two matches, Everton’s match versus Forest precedes fixtures with Man City and Chelsea.
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Taiwo Awoniyu (thigh), Ola Aina (calf) | QUESTIONABLE: Alex Moreno (loan - unable to face parent club), Chris Wood (hip)
Everton team news, focus
OUT: Jesper Lindstrom (groin), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (thigh), Orel Mangala (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Vitalii Mykolenko (thigh)
Nottingham Forest vs Everton prediction
So... who wants the ball? Both Forest and Everton are comfortable playing a defense-first approach but both have some terrific attackers including recently-returned Toffees winger Dwight McNeil. Forest could be without Chris Wood in addition to Taiwo Awoniyi and that means more speed and flash over power up top. That may actually play into their hands against James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Everton’s physical defense. Forest 1-1 Everton.
