Tottenham’s back line starred at both ends as Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro both scored in a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in North London on Sunday.
A Murillo own goal put Spurs in front before Chris Wood leveled the score before halftime, but Van de Ven and Porro scored in a five-minute span early in the second half to help deliver a win to the home crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
WATCH TOTTENHAM vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST FULL MATCH REPLAY
Spurs move onto 60 points and fifth place, ahead of Aston Villa on goal differential and boasting a game-in-hand on the Villans ahead of brutal five-game stretch next on the fixture list. Spurs will next face Newcastle, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool in succession, as they jostle for a top-four (or -five) spot.
Forest’s 25 points have them out of the bottom three on goal differential over Luton Town, four points behind Brentford and Everton. The Tricky Trees soon play Everton and Sheffield United before finishing the season at Burnley.
[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]
Spurs’ dreaming of present and future
This project’s not perfect but it is oh-so-ahead of schedule, as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham is deservedly top four with some players still getting used to the Premier League and some still getting used to being a pro, period.
The key to what Postecoglou’s doing at Tottenham is similar to what we saw from him at Celtic. It’s not that his system is easy, it’s that he has efficiently taught these players the key parts of it.
If — and it’s a big if — Spurs can continue to play this well going forward while gaining the wisdom to eliminate a bunch of the errors, they’ll be a threat in any competition. And if Spurs supply Postecoglou with European depth, who knows how high they might fly next season.
To dare is to do, yeah?
Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest player ratings (fotmob.com)
Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest player ratings (fotmob.com)
Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest player ratings (fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Tottenham are off to Newcastle at 7:30am ET Saturday, shortly before Forest host Wolves at 10am.
How to watch Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Monday
TV Channel: Peacock
Online: Watch live via Peacock Premium
Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest final score: 3-1
Goalscorers: Murillo (o.g. 15'), Wood (27'), Van de Ven (53'), Porro (58')
Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest live updates — By Nick Mendola
Pretty stuff — Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest (58th minute)
James Maddison spins a cross back from the end line and Rodrigo Bentancur stoops to change the ball’s direction with a header.
It finds its way to Pedro Porro, who joins defender Van de Ven on the scoresheet with a fine finish.
Micky van de Ven rocket! Tottenham 2-1 Nottingham Forest (53rd minute)
An incredible shot has put Spurs in front.
Center back Micky van de Ven is on the edge of the 18 when he picks up a square ball and just pummels it goalward.
Forest keeper Mats Sels doesn’t even bother. This was the definition of “Pick that one out.”
Forest nearly in front!
Ola Aina helps set up a chance from the left, as Ryan Yates lunges into the box to snap a shot on goal.
Vicario gets low to slap it away but it’s right to Wood on the doorstep who... clobbers the post from close range!
Huge let-off for Spurs.
Chris Wood goal — Tottenham 1-1 Nottingham Forest (27th minute)
Morgan Gibbs-White gets the ball on the right chalk and plays Anthony Elanga into the right corner.
The Swede snaps a hard cross that is partially-deadened under the leg of a sliding Cristian Romero, and Wood beats Pedro Porro to the loose ball.
He shoots past Vicario and we’re level.
Forest own goal — Tottenham 1-0 Nottingham Forest (15th minute)
Timo Werner blazes down the left side and smashes a cross toward the back post.
Murillo is desperate to block it but only manages to redirect it into his own goal.
Murillo tries audacious chance.
We’re underway in North London, with Spurs in white and Forest in their dark change kit.
It’s been mostly Spurs, but Murillo thinks he’s got Guglielmo Vicario out of his goal... and he does!
A maybe 70-yard shot defies the Spurs keeper but bounds just wide of the goal in the 11th minute.
Tottenham lineup
Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison, Johnson, Son, Werner
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Aina, Danilo, Murillo, Omobamidele, Williams, Yates, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Tottenham focus, team news
Former Forest man Brennan Johnson scored Spurs’ only goal in the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Tuesday, giving him two goals and three assists in his last five PL appearances. Micky van de Ven returned from a minor hamstring injury against the Hammers, after missing the previous two games.
OUT: Manor Solomon (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Fraser Forster (foot) | QUESTIONABLE: Richarlison (knee)
Nottingham Forest focus, team news
Morgan Gibbs-White was typically sensational for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side against Fulham, tallying a goal and an assist in the first half and taking his season tally to four goals and seven assists in 30 appearances this season.
OUT: Taiwo Awoniyi (undisclosed), Nuno Tavares (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Willy Boly (undisclosed)
