Nottingham Forest moved into second place in the Premier League after beating Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have now reeled off five consecutive top-flight victories – it is the first time Forest have won as many Premier League matches in a row since 1995.

Chris Wood put them ahead in the 15th minute after combining well with Anthony Elanga before lofting the ball over Jordan Pickford for his 11th league goal of the season.

Morgan Gibbs-White doubled Forest’s tally just after the hour, with Wood turning provider, and only a fine double save from Pickford denied the visitors a third late on.

Forest’s win moves them, at least temporarily, above Chelsea and Arsenal ahead of their respective fixtures on Monday and Wednesday, while Everton sit 16th.

How the match unfolded

Fresh from impressive draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, Everton started brightly, with Iliman Ndiaye neatly turning Nikola Milenkovic on the edge of the box before blazing the ball over Matz Sels’ net.

Yet Forest dealt the first blow, with Wood finishing coolly over Pickford after a neat headed exchange with Elanga.

Forest could have doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Gibbs-White’s inch-perfect pass found Ramon Sosa, but he was unable to hit the target.

But Nuno’s side doubled their advantage in the 61st minute when they pounced on a mix-up in Everton’s defence, with Gibbs-White chopping inside before finishing beyond Pickford.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto were thrown on by Sean Dyche as Everton searched for a way back into the contest, though the hosts had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping Forest to two when he saved well from Elanga before denying Taiwo Awoniyi on the rebound.

Dyche’s defensive resilience broken

Everton have prided themselves on defensively solidity in recent weeks, but despite holding the Premier League’s elite sides to draws in December, the Toffees came unstuck against Forest, who remained compact at the back and ruthless in attack.

Ndiaye’s early attempt offered the Goodison faithful some hope, but the stern defensive rearguard that had seen Everton concede just once across their previous four league matches was punctured by a moment of quality from Wood.

Everton pushed for the equaliser, with Jarrad Branthwaite heading over Ashley Young’s inviting corner, before Armando Broja, making his first start for the club, wildly lashed his strike wide moments before the break.

Jesper Lindstrom’s introduction at the interval attempted to inject some pace into the Everton attack, with the Dane curling an effort over the bar after good work from Abdoulaye Doucoure.

But Everton were punished when a combination of Doucoure’s poor pass and Vitalii Mykolenko’s hesitation allowing Gibbs-White to seal the win for Forest, with substitutes Calvert-Lewin and Beto seeing headers saved in the closing stages.

While Everton ended 2024 with a defeat, they will be hoping for a winning start to 2025 away to AFC Bournemouth next Saturday.

High-flying Forest march on

Having eclipsed their entire points total from last season with their win over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, Forest are in dreamland at the top.

Preparations were slightly altered moments before kick-off when key defender Murillo was injured in the warm-up and replaced by Sosa, though Forest did not let that setback disrupt their start with Wood volleying their first effort at goal just wide.

The New Zealander went close again when he glanced Elanga’s cross past the far-right post, but the pair combined to great effect shortly after, with Gibbs-White’s punt forward brilliantly worked between them before Wood opened the scoring.

And Wood, one of Dyche’s former Burnley stalwarts, helped punish his old manager midway through the second half when he teed up Gibbs-White to put Forest two goals to the good.

Only Pickford’s saves kept Forest from adding further gloss as they sealed a first league win at Goodison since 1999. They face Wolverhampton Wanderers next.

What the managers said

Sean Dyche: "They have done that to other teams this season. We didn't deliver it anywhere near in the first half and they did.

"It is hard to break down a packed defence when they get their noses in front. I don't think they had too many chances."

Nuno Espirito Santo: "We are competing really well, especially today. It was a very tough game and both teams had a very short period of rest."

On being second: "It doesn't mean anything. We haven't achieved anything yet."

Club reports 

Everton report | Nottingham Forest report

Match officials

Referee: Tony Harrington. Assistants: Mat Wilkes, Eddie Smart. Fourth official: Geoff Eltringham. VAR: John Brooks. Assistant VAR: Dan Cook.