PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 14TH DECEMBER, 2025
(2PM)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0(0)

Forest scorers:-
Hudson-Odoi, 28, 50
Sangare, 79

Attendance:- 30,579

Referee:- Sam Barrott
Assistants:- Tim Wood, Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official:- Paul Tierney
VAR:- Andy Madley
Assistant VAR:- Craig Taylor

Teams:-
Nottm Fst ((4-2-3-1):- 13. Victor; 37. Savona, 31. Milenkovic, 5. Murillo, 3. Williams; 6. Sangare, 8. Anderson; 21. Hutchinson, 10. Gibbs-White, 7. Hudson-Odoi (sub 14. Ndoye, 90+2); 19. Igor Jesus (sub 12. Douglas Luiz, 85)

Subs not used:- 18. Gunn; 4. Morato, 35. Zinchenko, 44. Abbott; 24. McAtee, 29. Bakwa; 15. Kalimuendo

Booked:- Savona (foul on Spence)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Romero (Capt.) 37. Van de Ven, 24. Spence (sub 33. Davies, 59); 30. Bentancur (sub 15. Bergvall, 59), 14. Gray (sub 6. Palhinha, 59); 20. Kudus (sub 22. Johnson, 80), 7. Xavi, 39. Kolo Muani (sub 11. Tel, 80); 9. Richarlison

Subs not used:- 31. Kinsky; 4. Danso ; 28. Odobert, 29. Sarr

Booked:- Gray (foul on Williams, Bergvall (foul on Hudson-Odoi), Pedro Porro (foul on Williams)

Spurs display the spirit of Christmas (on and off the pitch)

Just when we thought that Spurs were finding their form and that perhaps Thomas Frank had found something like his strongest (available) team, they gifted Forest their first two goals and gave their fans arguably their worse performance of the season. There are several candidates for this unwanted accolade.

Spurs, in the spirit of Christmas, had gifted their travelling fans a scarf, and most present duly waved those vigorously when the teams came out. We didn't have many opportunities to cheer once the game started.

Romero must have won the toss, because we played towards the away fans in the West Bridgford End. Forest kicked off and played towards the Trent End. There were just two changes for Thomas Frank with Bentancur taking Palhinha's place and Muani playing on the left instead of Odobert. Muani was one of the more impressive Spurs players, displaying plenty of effort and skill.

Sean Dyche made 8 changes to his side, who had beaten Utrecht away on Thursday night. Thursday-Sunday didn't hurt them. Forest hurt us with one of their best performances of the season. I heard one of their fans describing it as the best since the 3-0 win at Anfield.

Forest put three goals past us today and have beaten us in three consecutive games for the first time since 1997. "Doctor Tottenham" came to town today.

The first threat came when Savona crossed from the right and Sangare headed against the inside of the post. Neco Williams followed up and Vicario parried, but there had been an offside in any case.

Kudus had some possession from centre to right but offered no ultimate threat. A Pedro Porro cross was cleared by Murillo. Kolo Muani did well down the left wing and his cross to the back post was headed wide by Richarlison.

Forest broke out after another Muani run and Vicario patted away a threatening corner. Milenkovic headed wide after Williams crossed from the right following a Forest attacking throw.

Forest's opening goal was gifted after yet another disastrous play-out. Vicario gave Gray an awful pass in the middle. Sangare took advantage and teed up former Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The game was getting niggly at times, and both sets of fans were upset with referee Sam Barrott who was subject of "You don't know what you're doing" from both ends.

Savona was booked for his heavy challenge of Djed Spence who advanced down the left touchline. Spence and Muani had been offering the most threat for Spurs. Pedro Porro's long free kick was pushed over his bar by number two goalkeeper John Victor. Victor didn't look too comfortable after the corner when Spence passed inside to Gray and Archie hit a good shot which the keeper only held at the second attempt.

Kudus failed to deliver after another foray and Forest countered - fast (unlike Spurs as a rule). Apart from our Christmas presents, Forest even had (Igor) Jesus on their side. He crossed from the right and Gibbs-White went close. Forest were upset when another Gibbs-White effort went out of play off Bentancur, but Spurs won a goal kick.

Pedro Porro feinted a long throw on the right but threw it short before the cross reached Micky van de Ven, whose shot was blocked by Milenkovic.

Christmas present number two came when Hudson-Odoi got the better of Pedro Porro out on his left wing before hitting what looked like a cross. The ball curled into the net just inside Vicario's left post. Spurs had looked vaguely as if they might come back from the first goal, but now the game was up. Especially with our tendency to play out to the wings, and not through the middle, where most of our attempts to cross were blocked.

Former Ipswich (also once on Chelsea's books) player Omari Hutchinson threatened down Forest's right wing. Muani countered with a skilful dribble out of danger and a long ball to Kudus, where our attack failed again.

Frank made three changes. Ben Davies made his first Premier League appearance of the season and replaced Djed Spence. Bergvall and Palhinha came on for Bentancur and Gray. One of Ben Davies' first actions was to clear in front of Vicario, after which Ben berated his keeper for not getting a call.

Hudson-Odoi was soon threatening and passed to Igor, whose shot was wide across goal. Hutchinson was next up and hit a shot just wide from 25 yards. Bergvall was booked for his foul on Hudson-Odoi after two or three failed Spurs attacks.

The game was up for Spurs when Hudson-Odoi's pass from the left reached Sangare who hit a rocket of a shot inside Vicario's left post. The exodus of Spurs fans began, including that of yours truly.

Next up for us is Liverpool next Saturday tea-time. Arne Slot's men seem to have got over their hiccups, and I certainly don't fancy us to emulate Sean Dyche's recent 3-0 win.

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