Brighton edge out Forest to close in on sixth spot

Brighton & Hove Albion secured a narrow 1-0 win thanks to an own goal by Andrew Omobamidele to move within five points of sixth-placed Manchester United and increase Nottingham Forest's relegation concerns.

The win, which was a 12th home Premier League match without defeat, also secured Brighton's first-ever Premier League double over Forest, having recorded a 3-2 success in November's reverse fixture at the City Ground.

Roberto De Zerbi made seven changes from Thursday’s 4-0 UEFA Europa League defeat at Roma, including handing Jakub Moder his first Premier League start since March 2022.

Goalkeeper Jason Steele, Tariq Lamptey, Igor Julio, Facundo Buonanotte, Danny Welbeck and Julio Enciso also dropped to the bench, while Billy Gilmour served the final game of a three-match suspension.

Forest recalled fit-again forward Chris Wood for Anthony Elanga, while Danilo replaced Callum Hudson-Odoi, Nuno Espirito Santo's only two changes from the team beaten by Liverpool last weekend.

De Zerbi had demanded a response following the Roma loss and his players looked in the mood from the off, going close through Moder, Simon Adingra and Evan Ferguson before taking the lead on 29 minutes.

Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels tried to punch a Pascal Gross free-kick clear, but the ball bounced off Omobamidele and into his own net.

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a brilliant save to deny Forest an equaliser just three minutes later, getting down low to save from Divock Origi after he had been played in by Morgan Gibbs-White.

Those two combined again shortly after the break, but on this occasion, former Liverpool striker Origi drove wide of the target.

Forest, who had failed to score in each of their previous three league visits to Brighton (D1 L2), pushed for a late equaliser and Verbruggen made another good stop, this time at full stretch to push Wood's strike behind.

Brighton had two final chances to double their lead, with Lewis Dunk heading wide and substitute Enciso firing narrowly over, as they held on for the win which takes them on to 42 points.

Forest, who lost for the 16th time in the league, remain three points above the relegation zone, with 24.

Brighton report | Nott'm Forest report

Brighton are unbeaten in 12 Premier League home matches (W6 D6), their longest ever top-flight run without defeat at home.

Forest have lost 12 of their last 17 Premier League matches (W3 D2); since the start of this run (12 November), only Brentford have suffered more defeats (13).

Sunday's clean sheet was only the fourth Brighton have kept in their last 32 Premier League matches.

This was Brighton's third league double over Forest, having beaten them twice in both 1979/80 (top-flight) and 2015/16 (Championship).