Premier League GW25 - Nottm Forest vs West Ham

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

Excitation was in the air at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest took on West Ham in a crucial Premier League match. Forest sought to take advantage of West Ham's recent difficulties as they battled relegation. The scene was set for an engrossing clash, and moments of drama, emotion, and unforgettable moments filled the game.

Nottm Forest:

Would you mind providing some background on the two teams as the kickoff at the City Ground approaches? With 14 games remaining, Nottingham Forest is only two points above the relegation zone in 16th place with 21 points. Nottingham Forest's winless run now stands at four (W0 D1 L3) after they lost their most recent Premier League game 3-2 at home against Newcastle United.

West Ham:

In their most recent Premier League game, West Ham lost 6-0 to Arsenal at London Stadium, bringing their winless run to five (W0 D3 L2). With 36 points, they are currently in ninth place. After 24 games, the Hammers have conceded 42 goals and scored 36, putting them 10 points behind Aston Villa in fifth place and out of contention for a Europa League berth.

Line ups:

NOTTINGHAM FOREST(4-2-3-1): Mats Sels; Nuno Tavares, Murillo, Felipe, Neco Williams; Nicolas Dominguez, Danilo; Richie Laryea, Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga: Taiwo Awoniyi.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST SUBS: Matt Turner, Cheikhou Kouyate, Harry Toffolo, Moussa Niakhate, Giovanni Reyna, Ryan Yates, Divock Origi, Andrew Omobamidele, Rodrigo Ribeiro.

WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Emerson Palmieri, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Vladimir Coufal; Edson Alvarez, Kalvin Phillips; Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, Jarrod Bowen; Michail Antonio.

WEST HAM SUBS: Lukasz Fabianski, Ben Johnson, Aaron Cresswell, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Maxwel Cornet, Danny Ings, Angelo Ogbonna, Tomas Soucek, Divin Mubama.

City Ground Stadium | Picture Credits: Football Ground Guide

First Half: Awoniyi's Ice-Cold Finish Breaks the Deadlock:

With the sound of the referee's whistle resonating throughout the City Ground, both teams set out to win.

Nottingham Forest's star of the match was Taiwo Awoniyi, who played a patient game. With a superbly weighted pass from Nicolas Dominguez, Awoniyi showed ice-cold calm to slide the ball past Alphonse Areola and give Forest a vital 1-0 lead. The home crowd went wild after the striker's sixth goal of the year, prompting West Ham to question their defensive shortcomings.

There were half-chances, outstanding stops, and frustrating moments during the first half. Areola's quick reactions stopped Anthony Elanga's early tries, but Jarrod Bowen's attempts from the opposite end lacked poise. Awoniyi made the breakthrough, but Morgan Gibbs-White and Antonio tested keepers during the climax of activity around the half-hour mark. Even though Areola was the most valuable player for West Ham, he was unable to stop Awoniyi's brilliant finish just before halftime.

Second Half: Phillips Sees Red, Hudson-Odoi Secures Victory:

More action was anticipated in the second half as Forest looked to defeat a resolute West Ham in order to win the three points.

Kalvin Phillips' second yellow card dealt a serious blow to West Ham's prospects, reducing the team to 10 men. After Phillips was dismissed for an impetuous challenge on Gibbs-White, West Ham faced an uphill battle.

The drama peaked in the last seconds of the match. The Chelsea loanee Callum Hudson-Odoi took advantage of the disarray in West Ham's defense. Neco Williams found Elanga with a low byline drive, and Hudson-Odoi hammered the ball into the bottom-left corner. The goal completed Nottingham Forest's 2-0 victory and gave them a much-needed advantage in their fight to avoid relegation.

Forest's Crucial Victory and West Ham's Slump Continues:

With a 2-0 triumph over West Ham, Nottingham Forest celebrated as the final whistle blew throughout the City Ground. Hudson-Odoi's late goal and Awoniyi's clinical finish sealed a vital 2-0 victory for Forest, moving them five points clear of the relegation zone. West Ham, on the other hand, saw their winless run continue as they suffered more misery. Untried in Forest's goal, Mats Sels saw a strong defensive effort, but Areola's ingenuity was unable to stop Forest's resolute offensive. While Forest prepares for a matchup with Aston Villa, West Ham has a difficult matchup with Brentford. For supporters of the Forest, it was a day to remember at the City Ground, a turning point in their struggle for survival.

Awoniyi scored a late goal in the first half and gave Forest a 1-0 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Hudson-Odoi scored a late goal and gave Forest a strong victory of 2-0 against West Ham | Picture Credits: Sports World Ghana