Nottingham Forest 0-2 Everton: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Nottingham Forest 0-2 Everton in the Premier League on Tuesday, 30 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Everton beat Nottingham Forest 0-2 at the City Ground. The visitors took an early lead when James Garner scored in the 19th minute, assisted by Dwight McNeil, which set the tone for a solid defensive display from Everton. Forest, coming off a run of recent losses including defeats to Manchester City and Fulham, pushed hard in the second half but couldn’t break through, with substitutions like Douglas Luiz coming on for Nicolás Domínguez at half-time aiming to spark a comeback.

The game remained tight until Thierno Barry doubled Everton’s lead in the 79th minute, with an assist from James Garner, sealing the points for the away side. Everton, who had drawn with Burnley and lost to Arsenal in recent outings, looked more clinical on the counter despite Forest’s dominance in possession. This result adds to Forest’s woes, following their earlier 0-3 loss to Everton, and highlights Everton’s ability to grind out wins even when not controlling the ball.

Nottingham Forest bossed possession with 70% of the ball compared to Everton’s 30%, showing they controlled much of the play but struggled to turn it into goals. They racked up nine corners to Everton’s two and completed more successful dribbles at 64 against 47, pointing to an attacking intent that just lacked the final touch, while Everton made the most of their chances with two assists leading to their goals. On the discipline side, Forest picked up one yellow card, with no reds for either team, and no penalties or injury-time goals were noted.

Substitutions saw Forest make three changes, starting with Douglas Luiz replacing Nicolás Domínguez at 46 minutes, followed by Taiwo Awoniyi coming on for Igor Jesus at 62 minutes, and Dilane Bakwa replacing Callum Hudson-Odoi at 75 minutes. Everton used two subs, with Jack Grealish replacing Nathan Patterson at 72 minutes and Beto coming on for Thierno Barry at 85 minutes, which helped them manage the game late on without overcommitting.

The breakthrough came early for Everton when James Garner fired them ahead in the 19th minute, thanks to an assist from Dwight McNeil, catching Forest on the back foot. Forest tried to respond after the break, bringing on Douglas Luiz for Nicolás Domínguez at half-time, but a yellow card for Douglas Luiz at 61 minutes added to their frustrations, and Taiwo Awoniyi replaced Igor Jesus shortly after in a bid to boost their attack.

Everton sealed the win late on with Thierno Barry’s goal in the 79th minute, assisted by James Garner, before Barry was substituted for Beto at 85 minutes. Jack Grealish had come on for Nathan Patterson at 72 minutes to help shore things up, and these changes ensured Everton held firm against Forest’s pressure, with Dilane Bakwa’s introduction for Callum Hudson-Odoi at 75 minutes coming too late to change the outcome.

Nottingham Forest lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, focusing on building from the back with players like Nicolás Domínguez in midfield before his half-time substitution for Douglas Luiz, who later picked up a yellow card. Up front, Igor Jesus started but made way for Taiwo Awoniyi, while Callum Hudson-Odoi featured on the wing until Dilane Bakwa replaced him, aiming for width and creativity in attack.

Everton set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with James Garner shining in midfield by scoring and assisting, supported by Dwight McNeil’s creative play. Nathan Patterson started at the back but was replaced by Jack Grealish, while Thierno Barry led the line effectively with his goal before Beto came on late, helping to maintain a compact defensive partnership that frustrated Forest.

James Garner is Coral’s Man of the Match after a standout performance where he scored one goal, provided one assist, created two big chances and made three key passes. His early strike in the 19th minute set Everton on their way, and his assist for Thierno Barry’s late goal sealed the victory, showing his all-round influence in midfield against a possession-heavy Forest side.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 0-2 vs Everton (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Manchester City (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Tottenham Hotspur (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Everton (A)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 2-0 vs Nottingham Forest (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Burnley (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Arsenal (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Chelsea (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Nottingham Forest (H)

Nottingham Forest have just suffered a 0-2 defeat at home to Everton, leaving them in 17th place on 18 points and in a tough spot after a string of recent losses including back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Fulham, plus an earlier thrashing by Everton. They’re chasing points to pull away from danger, and their next match against Aston Villa on 2026-01-03 at 12:30 will be a stern test, with Villa currently third on 39 points and looking strong for Europe.

Everton have just secured a 2-0 win away at Nottingham Forest, boosting them to eighth place on 28 points after a mixed run that included a draw with Burnley and losses to Arsenal and Chelsea, but also a convincing home win over Forest earlier. They’ll aim to build on this momentum and push for European spots in their next fixture against Brentford on 2026-01-04 at 15:00, facing a side sitting 10th on 26 points who could make it a competitive clash.

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