EPL: Forest Stay in Hunt with 2-1 Win at West Ham

Forest beat West Ham 2-1 to stay in the hunt for a top-four spot, with Jarrod Bowen scoring a late consolation goal for the hosts.

Nottingham Forest secured a crucial 2-1 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium, keeping their Champions League qualification hopes alive heading into the Premier League's final day. The win marked the end of a four-match winless streak for Forest, who had seen their chances of finishing in the top five dwindle due to a slump in form.

Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenkovic propelled Forest to victory, with Gibbs-White capitalizing on an Alphonse Areola mistake to score the opening goal in the 11th minute. 

Milenkovic doubled the lead just past the hour mark, heading in Anthony Elanga's curling free kick. Jarrod Bowen pulled one back for West Ham with a late volley, but Forest held on for the win, despite a thrilling finale. This victory keeps Forest just a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, setting up a dramatic final day showdown between the two teams at the City Ground.

The match got off to a frenetic start, with West Ham nearly taking the lead inside two minutes. Tomáš Souček's header forced a spectacular one-handed save from Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, showcasing the intensity of the encounter. Forest, however, could have capitalized on the chaotic opening minutes when Ola Aina's long throw found Morgan Gibbs-White at the far post. Gibbs-White's volleyed effort was remarkably blocked by West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola's legs, denying Forest an early advantage.

The tables turned when Alphonse Areola's mistake gifted Forest the opening goal. The goalkeeper's loose pass to Guido Rodríguez was intercepted by Morgan Gibbs-White, who calmly rolled the ball into the empty net.

After the goal, the game settled into a more subdued pace. However, Forest had a chance to double their lead just before halftime when Chris Wood's left-footed drive was impressively blocked by Areola's legs. This save allowed Areola to partially redeem himself for the earlier error that led to Forest's goal.

In a surprising turn of events at halftime, Forest centre-back Murillo was initially taken out on a stretcher but remarkably emerged from the tunnel fit to start the second half.

The first major moment of the second half came when Nikola Milenković scored, heading in Anthony Elanga's precise delivery. After a lengthy six-minute VAR review to check for potential offside, the goal was confirmed, doubling Forest's lead and putting them in a strong position to secure the win.

As West Ham pushed for a consolation goal, Forest's defense held firm, with Neco Williams making a crucial last-ditch block to deny Luis Guilherme a certain goal as the match approached its final 10 minutes.

However, Forest's attempt to shore up their defense by switching to a back-five system ultimately backfired. The added defender, Maximilian Marath, mishandled a clearance, allowing Jarrod Bowen to capitalize. Bowen took one touch to set himself and then hammered the ball into the top corner, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and keeping West Ham's hopes alive.

Nottingham Forest dig deep for victory, and now sit ONE POINT outside the Champions League places! 🤩#WHUNFO pic.twitter.com/61KImIVati

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 18, 2025

The goal set up a thrilling finale, with the visitors anxiously watching as the fourth official indicated 11 minutes of injury time. Despite the intense pressure, Forest managed to navigate the added time successfully, holding on for a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

The win was crucial for Forest, as it sets up a decisive showdown with Chelsea on the final day for a top-five spot. In contrast, West Ham's defeat means they now play out the final matches with little at stake, other than avoiding the ignominy of finishing as the worst-placed team still in the league at that stage of the season.