Nottingham Forest's remarkable winning run in the Premier League continued on Monday night as they defeated a wasteful Wolverhampton Wanderers side 3-0, marking the first time they have recorded six consecutive top flight victories since 1979.
The result means Nottingham Forest move onto level points with second-placed Arsenal, both on 40 points after 20 games played, while it hands Vitor Pereira his first defeat as Wolves boss, leaving them in 17th and joint on 16 points with 18th-placed Ipswich Town.
For the 16th time in their 20 Premier League matches this season, Nottingham Forest took the lead, with former Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White silencing the home crowd's boos with a delightful opener, but the hosts responded well to going behind, having a shot cleared off the line and forcing Matz Sels into a number of crucial saves to keep Forest's advantage intact.
All of Wolves' hard work following the goal - which saw them create a significant 1.35xG in the first half - was undone just before half time when another surging Forest counter was swept into the net by Chris Wood, marking his eighth goal in 13 appearances against the Old Gold, giving Forest a healthy two-goal advantage headed into the break.
The second half saw a much more familiar Nottingham Forest performance, with Nuno Espirito Santo's side returning to their defensive best from throughout this season, limiting Wolves to very few chances and ultimately adding a third in the final seconds through Taiwo Awoniyi to secure a superb 3-0 win on the road.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Wolves will count themselves extremely unlucky to have lost that game 3-0, particularly after such a strong first-half performance that could have easily seen them head into the break in the lead.
Jorgen Strand Larsen has been one of the best strikers at converting his chances so far this season, but the forward missed two huge chances in the opening 45 minutes before being marked out of the game in a second half that saw Forest take complete control.
Despite the defeat, the hosts will take encouragement from certain aspects of their performance as they continue their battle against relegation from the Premier League.
As for Nottingham Forest, we are running out of words to describe how well they have played this campaign, they unbelievably sit third in the Premier League table over halfway into the season.
They managed to scrape through with a clean sheet in an uncharacteristic vulnerable first-half performance, but a brilliant showing of game management in the second half helped them to record their fourth successive clean sheet and sixth win in-a-row.
If they continue playing in this fashion, a return to the Champions League for Nottingham Forest could well be on the cards come the end of the term.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS VS. NOTTINGHAM FOREST HIGHLIGHTS
Morgan Gibbs-White goal vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (7th min, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Nottingham Forest)
Gibbs-White, take a bow!
Nottingham Forest win the ball back in their half and quickly transition from defence to attack through Elliot Anderson's line-breaking pass to Gibbs-White, who drives through the middle of the pitch towards the Wolves box.
The midfielder reaches the edge of the area and passes wide to Anthony Elanga, then stops his run just inside the box, where Elanga cuts the ball back to Gibbs-White, who caresses it into the bottom right corner to give Forest the lead.
Chris Wood goal vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (44th min, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Nottingham Forest)
Wood makes it 2-0 to Forest, he just loves playing against Wolves!
A searching ball from Matz Sels brilliantly finds Callum Hudson-Odoi on the halfway line, and the winger explodes past Matt Doherty and drives into the Wolves penalty area.
Hudson-Odoi gets to the byline, looks up and picks out Wood, who has pulled towards the six-yard line, and the striker calmly sweeps into the gaping net to score his eighth goal in 13 appearances against the Old Gold.
Taiwo Awoniyi goal vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (94th min, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Nottingham Forest)
Awoniyi adds a third for Forest!
Another long ball forward from the visitors finds Hudson-Odoi on the left wing, with the winger cutting inside and playing the ball into the path of James Ward-Prowse inside the box.
The midfielder takes a touch and sets the ball across the box to Awoniyi, who easily taps into the empty net to add a late third for the visitors.
MAN OF THE MATCH - MATZ SELS
Sels has undoubtedly been one of the standout goalkeepers in the Premier League this season, and the keeper produced another showstopping performance for Nottingham Forest in this one.
The keeper made five saves on the way to a fourth successive Premier League clean sheet, his ninth of the campaign, including multiple phenomenal stops in the first 45 minutes.
Gibbs-White, Wood, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga and Murillo all also deserve a mention for their outstanding contributions in a superb all-round performance as Nottingham Forest win once again.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS VS. NOTTINGHAM FOREST MATCH STATS
Possession: Wolverhampton Wanderers 61%-39% Nottingham Forest
Shots: Wolverhampton Wanderers 13-11 Nottingham Forest
Shots on target: Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-3 Nottingham Forest
Corners: Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-3 Nottingham Forest
Fouls: Wolverhampton Wanderers 10-8 Nottingham Forest
BEST STATS
WHAT NEXT?
Wolverhampton Wanderers' attention will now turn away from their Premier League relegation battle and to the FA Cup, with them set to face Bristol City in the third round on Saturday afternoon.
The same can be said for Nottingham Forest, who will now be preparing to host Luton Town at The City Ground on Saturday afternoon for their FA Cup third round tie.
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