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Jake O'Brien (left) looks on as Archie Gray scores an own goal to make it 3-0 before half-time. Alamy Stock Photo

Everton earn precious victory over Spurs while Forest stay in Premier League title race

Republic of Ireland international Jake O’Brien made his full league debut for David Moyes’ side.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST SURVIVED a second-half Southampton fightback to earn a narrow 3-2 victory and keep the pressure on Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

Forest saw out a nervous final few minutes to pick up a seventh win from their last eight outings to keep the gap between themselves and leaders Liverpool to six points.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side produced a professional and clinical display in the first half to give them a healthy advantage at the break courtesy of strikes from Elliot Anderson and Callum Hudson-Odoi, before Chris Wood nodded in his 14th goal of the season.

Southampton, who were without key man Tyler Dibling due to injury, refused to roll over and Jan Bednarek got them back into the contest with half-an-hour to play before Paul Onuachu headed home his first goal for the club, but it was not enough as Forest survived a late scare.

Bednarek thought he had snatched an equaliser at the death when he jumped highest from another corner but Aina cleared off the line as home supporters in the City Ground breathed a huge sigh of relief.

At the other end of the table, goal-shy Everton embarrassed injury-hit Tottenham with their first Premier League goals since St Stephen’s Day in a one-sided opening 45 minutes which paved the way for a 3-2 victory at Goodison Park that piled pressure on Ange Postecoglou.

In the second game of David Moyes’ return since replacing Sean Dyche, this felt like a real throwback performance to the Scot’s Toffees heyday of the late 2000s – and they were well worth what was only their fourth victory of the campaign.

Bristling with energy, aggression and a lack of fear of their opponents, the home team raced into a 3-0 half-time lead, something which they had not achieved at Goodison for 15 days short of eight years.

A rejuvenated Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his first in 17 matches and Iliman Ndiaye scored his maiden home league goal before the unfortunate Archie Gray, unwittingly involved in the first two, turned the ball into his own net.

Victory lifted Everton four points clear of the relegation zone and only four below their 15th-placed opponents, whose first-half performance was inexcusable against the league’s lowest scorers despite the loss of striker Dominic Solanke to a training-ground injury the previous day.

the-city-ground-nottingham-uk-19th-jan-2025-premier-league-football-nottingham-forest-versus-southampton-chris-wood-of-nottingham-forest-celebrates-with-his-team-after-scoring-the-third-goal-in Forest players celebrate Chris Wood's goal. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Postecoglou, who had 10 players injured and lost Radu Dragusin to a head injury for the second half, now faces even more questions about his management of an underperforming squad.

Were Spurs not taking a 1-0 lead into their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield across Stanley Park his job would be hanging by a thread, but it must still be under threat after a 12th league defeat.

Conceding three of their 35 goals at Goodison Park was unforgivable against a side who had failed to find the net in nine of their last 11 league fixtures.

Even taking into account a long injury list, Spurs possessed far more quality – Son Heung-min and James Maddison started and former Toffees forward Richarlison came off the bench for the second half – but they came up short on desire and character.

Everton continued to create chances with a comfortable lead in the second half, Calvert-Lewin hooking a shot wide before Moyes started to make defensive changes. The Scot replaced Jake O’Brien in the 88th minute after handing the Republic of Ireland international his full Premier League debut.

Richarlison somehow missed a cross when it seemed easier to head it in but, when Pickford came out to meet Maddison that left the goal open and Dejan Kulusevki chipped over a crowd of defenders with 13 minutes remaining.

The hosts ended the game with effectively six defenders on the pitch, and while that could not prevent Richarlison scoring in the third added minute, they clung on as Moyes celebrated his first Everton win just under 12 years after his previous one to give their survival hopes a major boost.

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