Nottingham Forest edge thriller with Southampton to move out of relegation zone
Nottingham Forest took a huge step towards Premier League safety with a dramatic 4-3 win over Southampton, whose impending relegation to the Championship could be confirmed at the weekend. Forest climbed out of the bottom three thanks to Taiwo Awoniyi’s brace, Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty and Danilo’s brilliant team goal to give realistic hope that they can avoid the drop on their first season back in the top tier for 23 years. They took full advantage of defeats for Leeds and Leicester to move up to 16th, three points above the drop zone with three games to play. Southampton’s situation is far bleaker and, despite goals from Carlos Alcaraz, Lyanco and James Ward-Prowse to keep them in the game, their 10-year stay in the top flight will end if they fail to beat Fulham on Saturday, while results elsewhere could also send them down even if they do win. It was a thrilling end-to-end encounter at the City Ground that completed a bumper Bank Holiday goals bonanza as the 21 goals scored on Monday are a Premier League record for a three-game matchday. This clash was always going to have a massive say on who goes down and the Forest fans received the memo, delivering a spine-tingling atmosphere before kick-off. And after an edgy start in the driving rain, where Southampton were the better team, two goals in three minutes from Awoniyi lifted the roof off the City Ground. The first came in the 18th minute after a devastating attack at speed, where after a quick free-kick, Danilo’s long ball set Brennan Johnson free on the right and his first-time cross was perfect for Awoniyi to fire home from 10 yards out. The Nigeria international soon doubled his tally, and in some style too, as he hit an instinctive volley on the turn after Danilo’s improvised pass in the area. Southampton had folded and were in danger of being blown away but gave themselves a lifeline in the 25th minute as Gibbs-White’s loose ball allowed a quick break that saw Stuart Armstrong play in Alcaraz and the Argentinian converted from close range. There were a few dicey moments as Saints pushed for a leveller, but Forest crucially restored their two-goal lead just before the break. Johnson nipped in to take the ball away from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and was on the end of a kick, with referee Michael Oliver taking his time to deliberate before pointing to the spot. Gibbs-White made no mistake from the penalty, sending his effort down the middle to give Forest a big half-time advantage. Southampton knew they were in the last-chance saloon and came out firing, reducing the arrears in the 51st minute. Lyanco climbed highest from Ward-Prowse’s corner to power a header that was too hot for Keylor Navas to handle. That totally changed the complexion of the game and Forest were suddenly hanging on as Saints chased an unlikely equaliser. Another Lyanco header from a corner caused chaos in the Forest six-yard box as Navas came under a barrage of dangerous set-pieces. But the hosts eased their nerves in the 73rd minute with a brilliant team goal converted by Danilo. Johnson surged down the right, centred for Gibbs-White, whose delightful deft flick teed the Brazilian up and he made no mistake for his third goal in three games. Felipe had another goal chalked off in stoppage time and then Saints were given a lifeline as Sam Surridge fouled Romeo Lavia, with Ward-Prowse sending the late penalty straight down the middle. But Forest held on to leave Southampton staring into the abyss of the second tier. Read More Dean Smith dismayed by Leicester’s heavy loss at Fulham Everton have never doubted themselves in battle against relegation says Sean Dyche Dwight McNeil’s brace boosts chances of Premier League survival as Everton hammer Brighton Everton stun Brighton to boost survival hopes as Southampton on the brink Frank Lampard insists Chelsea need to develop a ruthless streak in attack Ryan Mason more concerned with Tottenham than other clubs
2023-05-09 05:48
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Everton have never doubted themselves in battle against relegation says Sean Dyche
Everton boss Sean Dyche insisted his side never doubted themselves after a thumping 5-1 Premier League victory over Brighton lifted the Toffees two points clear of the relegation zone. It was Everton’s first away league win in 14 attempts and could not have come at a more opportune time, with just three matches now remaining to secure their top-flight safety. Abdoulaye Doucoure’s strike after 33 seconds laid down what retrospectively ultimately felt like an emphatic opening statement as both he and Dwight McNeil went on to scores braces on either side of the half. Dyche said: “People will be out there thinking right, OK, there’s life in that team but we’ve never lost sight of that. “It just reminds the players that their work ethic, their commitment to the cause, their commitment to the group is really important because I know there’s quality. “I’ve always believed there’s quality. I’ve said it many times, but talking about it doesn’t win you a game. It’s the collective mentality to go and deliver everything you’ve got. “We were very frustrated not to come away with all three points (against Leicester) but we got a reward for carrying on that mentality in their performances tonight.” Doucoure netted his second when he volleyed the ball home after 29 minutes before McNeil’s cross further buried Brighton, with it deflecting off Jordan Steele, who had stooped to save but instead felt the ball bounce off the back of his leg and in. Alexis Mac Allister clawed one back before McNeil’s first but the Brighton burial was not complete until McNeil fired home the visitors’ fifth in the embers of second-half stoppage-time. Victory meant Dyche’s side are safe for the time being, with league leaders Manchester City up next followed by encounters with Wolves and Bournemouth. “They’re very high feeling the feel-good factor,” he added. “But it’s only another step. I said that after Arsenal, and sometimes people forget that. There’s three more big steps we’ve got to take.” Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi, meanwhile, suggested his side’s performance revealed they were not yet ready to go toe-to-toe with the best in the business, though he was unspecific about whether he was looking at England’s top four or more broadly to the other side of the Channel. It could still be possible for Brighton to secure European football with a seventh-place finish, but De Zerbi’s men would feel more satisfied with a higher position. He said: “Of course we can lose the game. We can lose against Everton, but I’m disappointed for the first half because it was tough. “We showed we are not ready yet to compete and to achieve the big target but I am speaking about mentality, not other things, not other parts of football. “It’s not easy because playing in the last period, three games in a week is difficult if you are not used to playing so many games but if we want to improve, if we want to fix our target higher, we have to improve very fast.” Read More Dwight McNeil’s brace boosts Everton’s chances of Premier League survival Dwight McNeil bags brace as Everton ease past Brighton in battle against PL drop James Tarkowski: I don’t regret joining Everton Everton showed character needed to avoid drop in Leicester draw – Idrissa Gueye Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi believes Moises Caicedo can play anywhere Alexis Mac Allister: Brighton’s aim should be to fight for a European place
2023-05-09 05:29
Notts Forest 4-3 Southampton: Player ratings as Forest win huge relegation clash
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2023-05-09 05:27
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Soccer-Leicester's relegation worries deepen after 5-3 loss at Fulham
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2023-05-09 04:48
SEC Football: 5 incredibly early bold predictions for the 2023 season
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2023-05-09 04:48