A Thrilling Encounter at the City Ground
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s late strike in the 90th+4 minute secured a crucial 1-0 win for Everton over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The Toffees’ victory sees them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur into 14th place in the Premier League standings, 18 points clear of the relegation zone.
A Match That Belonged to Everton
Despite dominating possession (58%) and outshooting Forest 12-11, Everton struggled to create clear-cut chances. However, their persistence paid off when Dwight McNeil fed Doucoure, who capitalized on a rare mistake from Murillo to score the decisive goal.
“That one will taste sweet for the Toffees,” said Sports Mole’s reporter Ben Knapton. “On the balance of play, Moyes’s men deserved to upset the Champions League-chasing hosts, who were flat all afternoon despite the pleasing return of Chris Wood to the final third.”
Doucoure’s Clinical Finish
The Frenchman’s goal was a testament to his clinical finishing skills. “At such a crucial moment of the game, Doucoure finished with the aplomb of a seasoned centre-forward, and the Frenchman also created two chances and completed 89% of his passes at the City Ground,” Knapton added.
A Turning Point in the Match
The goal came after Murillo’s rare mistake, which led to a 3v1 counter-attack. McNeil picked the right pass to Doucoure, who nonchalantly lifted the ball over the onrushing Matz Sels in front of the raucous away end.
“Deserved. Everton win it right at the death thanks to an incredibly uncharacteristic mistake from Murillo, who takes a heavy touch and is robbed of possession by McNeil,” Knapton reported.
Man of the Match Performance
Doucoure was instrumental in the win and was deservedly named Man of the Match. “Yours truly was typing out his justification for Murillo taking home the man of the match prize when he made the fatal mistake – curse of the reporter – and Everton’s match-winner rips the award out of the Brazilian’s grasp,” Knapton joked.
What’s Next?
Everton faces Manchester City next Saturday, while Forest takes on Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial Premier League fixture. Forest will then face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on April 27.
Match Stats
- Possession: Nottingham Forest 42% – 58% Everton
- Shots: Nottingham Forest 11 – 12 Everton
- Shots on target: Nottingham Forest 5 – 5 Everton
- Corners: Nottingham Forest 1 – 7 Everton
- Fouls: Nottingham Forest 9 – 13 Everton
A Boost for Everton’s Survival
The win is a significant boost for Everton’s Premier League survival bid. “Everton have now leapfrogged Tottenham Hotspur into 14th place in the Premier League standings and are all but safe from relegation – 18 points clear of the drop zone,” Knapton reported.
The victory also ended Everton’s six-match winless run, while Forest’s defeat means they have now been beaten at home for the first time in 2025. Forest stay third in the table but are now just two points clear of Manchester City.