Forest beat Fulham to boost survival hopes
Nottingham Forest boosted their hopes of Premier League survival with a convincing victory over Fulham at the City Ground.
![Nottm Forest vs Fulham - Figure 1](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/1754E/production/_133066559_gettyimages-2133617779.jpg)
Despite Fulham threatening a comeback in the second period, the home side's three first-half goals were enough to move them three points clear of the relegation zone.
Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring after nine minutes, cutting inside and slotting home after Morgan Gibbs-White's sublime threaded pass found the forward on the left-hand side.
Chris Wood continued his impressive goalscoring form 10 minutes later with a superb strike from range - his eighth in nine appearances - before Gibbs-White added a third, placing a low drive into the bottom corner.
It looked like Forest had the points wrapped up by half-time but a breathless second period began with Tosin Adarabioyo's glancing header pulling one back for the visitors after just four minutes.
Chances were in abundance at both ends as Neco Williams hammered a shot off the bar and a fine Matz Sels save denied Adarabioyo a second, while Kenny Tete also fired against the underside of the bar.
The result leaves Fulham 12th, while 17th-placed Forest will travel to Tottenham on Sunday with renewed confidence about their hopes of staying up.
Reaction from Nottingham Forest v Fulham, plus more Premier League actionJoin BBC Sport's WhatsApp channelsForest hold on after ferocious startFollowing Forest's four-point deduction for breaches of Premier League financial rules - a decision they will appeal - they urgently needed to do their talking on the pitch to put breathing space between themselves and the bottom three.
A resilient performance against Crystal Palace last time out earned them a point and left them separated from 18th-placed Luton by goal difference.
Now, they can take positives from not only a dominant first-half performance, where they created plenty of chances and shut Fulham out, but also for their resilience in the second half to foil the visiting side's fightback.
How did you rate Nottingham Forest? Have your say hereWood's brilliant strike meant he has scored in three consecutive Premier League appearances, while Hudson-Odoi has racked up five goals in 22 Forest appearances - having needed 72 outings to yield the same return for Chelsea.
Forest could have scored more as Anthony Elanga's effort clipped the outside of the post, while Divock Origi - still looking for his first Premier League goal since joined the club - struck wide twice after coming off the bench.
While Nuno Espirito Santo's side have taken a much-needed step towards safety with their first ever win over Fulham in the top flight, they need to maintain this form to ensure it.
Early changes can't revive Fulham fortunesInconsistent results have summed up Fulham's season so far, with big wins against Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal offset by disappointing losses to Bournemouth and Burnley.
A nightmare first-half saw boss Marco Silva make a triple substitution in only the 33rd minute, bringing on Willian, Tom Cairney and Adama Traore in an attempt to turn the game around.
For a spell it worked, but the visitors were unable to capitalise on a dominant period and eventually conceded a third goal in added time to cap off a miserable opening half.
How did you rate Fulham's performance? Have your say hereThey had to improve and did so as Willian's dipping effort was just off target and Rodrigo Muniz went close to extending his eight-goal tally.
Traore cannoned a late strike off the bar too, but Fulham failed to replicate the heroics that saw them overturn a two-goal deficit against Sheffield United and earn a point last time out in a 3-3 draw.
The Cottagers have lost three of their last nine league matches and their away woes continue too with just one win in their last 15 on the road.
Player of the match
Gibbs-WhiteMorgan Gibbs-White
with an average of 9.12
Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White
Squad number32Player nameOmobamidele
Squad number11Player nameWood
Squad number14Player nameHudson-Odoi
Squad number7Player nameN Williams
Squad number16Player nameDomínguez
Squad number15Player nameToffolo
Squad number28Player nameDanilo
Squad number21Player nameElanga
Squad number40Player nameMurillo
Squad number20Player nameReyna
Squad number22Player nameYates
Squad number43Player nameAina
Squad number26Player nameSels
Squad number27Player nameOrigi
Squad number20Player nameWillian
Squad number19Player nameRodrigo Muniz
Squad number10Player nameCairney
Squad number8Player nameWilson
Squad number11Player nameTraoré
Squad number33Player nameRobinson
Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira
Squad number6Player nameReed
Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha
Squad number3Player nameBassey
Squad number4Player nameTosin
Squad number17Player nameLeno
Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid
Squad number22Player nameIwobi
Squad number28Player nameLukic
Squad number2Player nameTete
Formation 4-2-3-1
26Sels7N Williams32Omobamidele40Santiago Costa dos Santos43AinaSubstituted forToffoloat 83'minutes22Yates28Danilo21ElangaSubstituted forDomínguezat 83'minutes10Gibbs-WhiteSubstituted forReynaat 77'minutes14Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forOrigiat 70'minutes11WoodSubstitutes1Turner6Sangaré8Kouyaté15Toffolo16Domínguez19Niakhaté20Reyna27Origi29MontielFormation 4-2-3-1
17Leno2Tete4Tosin3Bassey33Robinson28LukicSubstituted forCairneyat 33'minutes26João PalhinhaSubstituted forReedat 71'minutes8WilsonSubstituted forWillianat 33'minutes18PereiraSubstituted forDe Cordova-Reidat 71'minutes22IwobiSubstituted forTraoréat 33'minutes19Muniz CarvalhoSubstitutes1Rodák6Reed7Jiménez10Cairney11Traoré13Ream14De Cordova-Reid20Willian21CastagneReferee:Michael Oliver
Attendance:28,997
Match ends, Nottingham Forest 3, Fulham 1.
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 3, Fulham 1.
Offside, Nottingham Forest. Divock Origi is caught offside.
Hand ball by Antonee Robinson (Fulham).
Adama Traoré (Fulham) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Harrison Reed.
Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Chris Wood.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Attempt missed. Danilo (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Chris Wood following a fast break.
Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Chris Wood.
Foul by Tom Cairney (Fulham).
Divock Origi (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Harry Toffolo replaces Ola Aina.
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Nicolás Domínguez replaces Anthony Elanga.
Attempt missed. Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Rodrigo Muniz.
Attempt missed. Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Antonee Robinson with a cross.
Attempt missed. Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ola Aina.
Foul by Willian (Fulham).
Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Giovanni Reyna replaces Morgan Gibbs-White.