Nottingham Forest 2 Brighton 3
Roberto de Zerbi’s side travelled to the City Ground desperate for three points after going six games without victory. The last time they won at this ground, Margaret Thatcher won the election to become Prime Minister of the UK.
Morgan Gibbs-White is the lynchpin of this Forest side and he continued his form as he put in a sublime cross from the right for Anthony Elanga to head the hosts in front with only three minutes gone in the game.
The visitors were starting to play some of the neat one-touch passing that has made them a joy to watch under de Zerbi. As Lallana stepped over the ball, Gross laid it off to Gilmour on the edge of the box.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder looked to side foot his effort into the bottom corner but Turner was able to get down and make a smart save. It was an early warning for Steve Cooper’s side that the visitors were dangerous on the attack.
Credit: @OfficialBHAFC
Gilmour intercepted a Gibbs-White pass and as Lallana left the ball once again, Gross played it to Ferguson who controlled it before bending a shot into the bottom corner. The goal silenced the home fans and gave those who had made the trip from the south coast something to celebrate.
Forest seemed to lose their confidence as Brighton continued to pass the ball around, constantly putting the hosts on the back foot. In time added on at the end of the first-half, Gross sent a cross into the box which was headed home by Joao Pedro.
The City Ground fell silent like Russell Crowe had just walked onto the pitch dressed as Robin Hood. Roberto de Zerbi’s side had turned this game on its head and it was nothing more than their football had deserved.
As the hosts looked to find a way back into the game, Brighton came forward on a rare counter-attack. The ball was crossed into the box and Joao Pedro went to ground demanding a penalty for the challenge on him.
Anthony Taylor seemed well-placed and immediately pointed to the spot. VAR reviewed the incident and they were never going to overrule an onfield decision. The replay showed that Wood has his arms around Pedro and it was probably the right decision.
It was all going wrong for Forest as they were in danger of going further behind. Joao Pedro stepped up, sent the keeper the wrong way and buried his penalty into the bottom corner. The hosts were in danger of losing their first home game of the season.
Credit: @OfficialBHAFC
Steve Cooper’s side came forward, looking for a goal that would give them a glimmer of hope with time fast running out. Hudson-Odoi fell to the floor in the penalty box but the referee was not interested and play continued.
As Brighton went up the other end, nearly adding another, the ball was hacked clear into the stands. The referee held up play as the VAR studio told him he needed to go to the monitor to look at the previous coming together.
It’s funny as when Luis Diaz’s goal was incorrectly ruled out, the reason for not addressing the error was that the game had restarted. Yet in this instance, stopping the game to go back to a previous incident is all the norm. The consistency of Premier League officiating for all to be seen.
Taylor went to the monitor to watch his least favourite TV show……’Refereeing errors and bloopers’. He decided to reverse his decision and award a penalty. As Dunk protested, the referee showed the defender a yellow card for dissent.
The Brighton captain then said something that Taylor took offence to. He reached into his pocket and produced a red card and gave the defender his marching orders. All too often these decisions seem to be that of a childhood plagued by bullying, finally able to get his own back.
While abusing referees is not something that any of us should condone, the officials in the Premier League seem to think they have star status now. The attitude and aggression they show can only be conveyed with flashing cards around to boost their own ego and self-worth.
Gibbs-White stepped up and slotted the penalty into the bottom corner, giving the home fans hope of getting something out of this game. The Forest playmaker was found in the box again but got his effort all wrong as it hit him on the chest rather than connecting with his head.
As the fourth official held their board up, indicating that there would be an additional ten minutes, there seemed plenty of time for a Forest equaliser. Brighton needed to set up camp in their own penalty area and defend for their lives.
Elanga then headed the ball across the box for Yates to meet it with a solid header, only to see an acrobatic save from the Brighton keeper deny him. That was the chance Forest had been waiting for, they just could not capitalise.
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