Premier League GW12 - West Ham vs Nottm Forest

West Ham vs Nottm Forest | Picture Credits: West Ham Website

Nottingham Forest and West Ham faced off in a thrilling Premier League match at the London Stadium that included drama, turns and an incredible comeback. In an attempt to recover from a run of losses, the Hammers took on a Forest team who had just defeated Aston Villa. A rollercoaster of emotions played out, with neither team leaving anything on the pitch.

West Ham:
With their midweek victory over Olympiakos, West Ham is now atop Group A in the Europa League and will be hoping to carry that form into the Premier League. The Hammers have let up eight goals in their last three Premier League games against Brentford, Everton, and Aston Villa. Although David Moyes' team has only won once in their last seven games, they have won three of their opening four games. They are now down to 13th place as a result. West Ham will find solace in the knowledge that they have defeated Forest in four of their previous five Premier League home games; their lone loss occurred in January 1997.

Nottm Forest:

In their last match, Forest defeated in-form Aston Villa 2-0 at the City Ground to snap a six-game losing streak. Steve Cooper's team took the lead after five minutes thanks to a shot from outside the box from Ola Aina, and shortly after the break, Orel Mangala doubled Forest's lead. The Tricky Trees are seven points clear of the relegation zone after their first league victory since the beginning of September, but they will need to improve on their road performance if they hope to make it a back-to-back double. Since the 2022–23 season began, they have dropped 17 games away from home and failed to score 13 times, including their last three away from home.

Starting Lineups:

West Ham (4-3-3):

• Goalkeeper: Alphonse Areola

• Defenders: Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson

• Midfielders: Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse

• Forwards: Kudus, Bowen, Paqueta

• Sub: Fabianski, Cresswell, Fornals, Antonio, Mavropanos, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer
  

Nottingham Forest (4-3-3):

• Goalkeeper: Vlachodimos

• Defenders: Aina, Niakhate, Murillo, Toffolo

• Midfielders: Sangare, Mangala, Dominguez

• Forwards: Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Elanga

• Subs: Turner, Neco Williams, Kouyate, Wood, Yates, Aurier, Origi, Danilo, Boly

London Stadium | Picture Credits: Shutterstock.com

First Half: Explosive Start and Forest Equalizer

The third minute of the game was when it really got going. When Paqueta took advantage of a mistake by Dominguez and slotted the ball into the bottom corner, Forest found themselves down. Awoniyi was denied by Areola's heroics, but Forest levelled the score in the 44th minute. After Areola parried a shot by Gibbs-White, Awoniyi pounced on the rebound and tapped it in to tie the score at one at the half.

Despite their early dominance, West Ham was held back by a strong Forest team. Although Forest's Awoniyi demonstrated his poacher's sense and set the tone with a clean goal, the teams ended the half equal.

Second Half: Goals Galore and West Ham's Comeback

End-to-end activity opened the second half. In the 48th minute, Forest had a great chance, but Awoniyi's effort missed. Elanga took advantage of Aina's pass in the 63rd minute to give Forest a 2-1 lead. home the 65th minute, Bowen headed home a Ward-Prowse corner to give West Ham a quick lead (2–2).

In the 69th minute, Soucek struck the bar, adding to the drama. After more Ward-Prowse corner, Soucek headed home in the 88th minute to give West Ham a 3-2 lead, capping off the unrelenting pressure. West Ham managed to hold on for an exciting win in spite of Forest's best attempts.

After an incredible match, West Ham won, demonstrating tenacity and willpower. Ward-Prowse and Soucek's explosive combination was crucial, as set-piece accuracy dealt the final blow. Despite Forest's heroic efforts, West Ham's comeback won three vital points.

The match at the London Stadium was exactly what was expected—a spectacular display of goals, turns, and never-ending action. Spurred on by their Europa League triumph, West Ham displayed style and guts. Despite its fortitude, Forest was unable to withstand the Hammers' constant attack. West Ham relishes a hard-fought victory as the international break approaches, laying the groundwork for upcoming Premier League matches. Up till then, West Ham is celebrating a historic win, and the London Stadium resounds with triumphant cheers.

Paqueta celebrating after netting the goal | Picture Credits: West Ham Website

Awoniyi after scoring the goal | Picture Credits: Soccernet Website

Happy Bowen after scoring the goal for West Ham | Picture Credits: Getty Images

Elanga scored in the second half to give Nottingham Forest the lead | Picture Credits: Getty Images

Soucek celebrating after scoring the last goal | Picture Credits: West Ham Website