Everton secured their third consecutive away victory in the Premier League (PL) as Dwight McNeil’s second-half goal led them to a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, enabling them to climb off the bottom of the standings despite a 10-point deduction.
Despite the near-Arctic conditions at the City Ground, the packed stadium witnessed Everton dominating the early exchanges. Having won three of their last four away games, the Toffees nullified early threats and had scoring opportunities of their own. Beto squandered a chance to score his first PL goal since joining from Udinese, blazing over after Odysseas Vlachodimos dropped a cross.
Regrettably for Everton, this scare spurred Forest into action, and Anthony Elanga nearly scored as he fired just wide of the far post. Everton came closest to breaking the deadlock towards the end of the first half when Abdoulaye Doucouré set up McNeil, whose attempt was cleared off the line by Murillo and hit the woodwork on its way out.
With Burnley’s 5-0 victory over Sheffield United reducing Forest’s gap to the bottom three to six points, there was added motivation for the home team in the second half. Felipe hit the post after a chaotic goalmouth scramble. Everton, facing a points deduction and still vulnerable to relegation, pressed for the opener. Jack Harrison’s well-executed cross found McNeil, who unleashed a powerful shot into the far top corner.
As Forest desperately sought an equalizer, Jordan Pickford made crucial saves against Elanga and Murillo. However, time ran out for the home side, and Everton secured a crucial three points. Sean Dyche’s team continued their resurgence, moving just two points from safety. In contrast, Forest’s struggles persisted with only one win in their last 10 PL matches, increasing the pressure on manager Steve Cooper ahead of an upcoming midweek trip to Fulham.