Nottingham Forest delivered a statement performance on Saturday, dismantling Brighton 7-0 in a Premier League showdown at the City Ground.
The emphatic victory, led by Chris Wood’s hat-trick, marked the club’s most significant win in the Premier League era.
Wood, the 33-year-old forward from New Zealand, was in unstoppable form, netting three times to take his tally to 17 league goals this season, his most prolific campaign yet. Only Mohamed Salah (19) and Erling Haaland (18) have found the net more times this term.
Forest’s relentless attack saw additional goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams, and Jota Silva, while Lewis Dunk’s own-goal set the tone early.
The result propelled Forest into third place, drawing level on 47 points with Arsenal, who sit second.
After narrowly escaping relegation last season, Forest’s transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
Now firmly in the Champions League race, the club is on the verge of returning to Europe’s elitr, a stage it once dominated with back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980.
Meanwhile, league leaders Liverpool, six points ahead of Forest with two games in hand, prepare for a tough fixture against an in-form Bournemouth side later in the day.
Saturday’s Premier League action also features Newcastle facing Fulham and a crucial clash between the league’s bottom two clubs, Ipswich and Southampton.
