On April 21, 2024, Nottingham Forest sent shockwaves through the football world with an explosive reaction to a trio of controversial VAR (video assistant referee) decisions at Goodison Park.
Forest felt they had been denied three penalties in a 2-0 defeat to Everton, which left them only a point above the bottom three in the Premier League. Their response was to press send on a 45-word social media post that questioned the application of VAR and the choice of officials — and subsequently earned the club a hefty £750,000 fine.
That came only a few weeks after they had been docked four points for breaches of profit and sustainability regulations. On the pitch, Forest had won once in 10 games. Nuno Espirito Santo was battling to keep the club clear of relegation. They were desperate days.
Flash forward to April 21, 2025 and a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur has lifted Forest back into third place in the table, and into Champions League contention once more. On Sunday, they will return to the capital to face Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Exactly a year on from their Merseyside malaise, Forest are again sending shockwaves through the football world again — but for very different reasons.
And, almost regardless of what happens from this point on, if Forest fans ever find themselves needing some perspective, they only need to look at how things have changed.
Chris Wood heads in Forest’s second goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
In recent weeks, following a closely contested defeat 2-1 at the hands of Champions League qualification rivals Aston Villa and a flat, insipid 1-0 loss to Everton, a slight sense of uncertainty had begun to creep in. As other results went against them over the weekend, Forest slipped to sixth place. Disappointment had flowered. Understandably so, given that Forest had been in the top four since mid-December.
Pundits started to question Forest’s credentials; to predict, even, that they would be the ones to drop out of the Champions League reckoning.
There were some serious nerves involved in Monday’s 2-1 win over Nuno’s former club Tottenham, who made Forest work as hard as they have done for three points in some time. But while Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was the latest in a reasonably long line of his peers to lament a game against Forest that he felt his side had done enough to deserve to win, Forest have now taken 19 points from their matches against his side, Manchester City, Manchester United and champions elect Liverpool.
Forest have won 53 per cent (9/17) of their Premier League away games this season, their best win percentage on the road in a single campaign in the competition. Only Liverpool have won more away games in 2024-25.
And they have done so largely with the same formula that earned them success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: take the lead then be fiercely resolute and well organised once you have. Forest again had only 30 per cent possession but they are comfortable with that. It has become part of their identity.
This was the 24th time Forest have taken the lead in a Premier League game this season. They have won 17 of them, while drawing a further five — losing only twice. The last time they took a two-goal lead in a game and failed to win was in October 2023, when Luton’s late fightback earned them a 2-2 draw at the City Ground.
It is frankly still a surprise that Forest are competing for Champions League football but how they have got themselves to this point should longer be a shock.
There were so many moments in this game that underlined exactly what makes this team so special; exactly why, whatever happens in the remaining five Premier League games and in the FA Cup, Forest fans should enjoy every second of this journey, regardless of where it ultimately takes them.
Forest players plead with referee Anthony Taylor in their 2-0 loss to Everton in April 2024 (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
There was Elliot Anderson scoring his first Premier League away goal for Forest to put them in front after only five minutes. It was Forest’s 11th league goal from outside the box this season — only Manchester City (13) have scored more.
There was Chris Wood scoring his 19th league goal of the season to suggest he is starting to shake off the effects of his recent hip injury at the perfect time. It was also the 11th headed goal Forest have scored during the current campaign, which is the joint most, along with Brentford.
There was Anthony Elanga and then Callum Hudson-Odoi repeatedly offering precious moments of respite by carrying the ball — and their team — up the other end of the pitch, with pace and purpose.
There was substitute Ryan Yates collecting a yellow card for clumsily but effectively ending a threatening Tottenham break with something close to a rugby tackle in the centre of the pitch.
There was Taiwo Awoniyi, a whirl of flailing limbs and brute strength, managing to keep the ball at the right end of the pitch after Richarlison had made it 2-1 in the 87th minute.
There was Matz Sels making two outstanding saves look like easy work, and Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic leading the way in a stoic Forest defence that made 55 clearances amid a barrage of balls into the box.
And there was also the wonderfully named Harry Stefano Toffolo, capping off his first Premier League start of the season with a clearance off the goalline that was as breathtaking as it was vital. It was a moment that entirely epitomised the character and spirit running through this Forest side as he hooked away a Dejan Kulusevski effort with only an inch or two to spare.
“We have been talking a lot about the importance of the squad. Even when a player does not start, I still always believe they will play a part. He (Toffolo) did it,” said Nuno in his post-match press conference. “We will need them all. Every player in the squad has to commit themselves to playing their part. Harry did that. He was fantastic.”
Seven of the starting line-up against Tottenham had started against Everton this time last year but, somehow, it still feels as though there has been a landslide of change. Back then, the club was united in their sense of injustice and in their desire to avoid a quick return to the Championship.
Forest are a team and a club transformed. They are united now in pursuing a very different common goal but as they work to prove their doubters wrong yet again this season — by securing Champions League football — if anyone ever needs a sense of perspective, they only need to remember where they were exactly 12 months ago.
(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)