Wood, Gibbs-White Score as Forest Extend Unbeaten Run

Nightmare for Sunderland as Forest run riot in 5-0 defeat  

Nottingham Forest extended their unbeaten run to eight games by thrashing Sunderland 5-0. Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White scored before Thursday’s Europa League semi-final vs Aston Villa.

Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in eight after a win at Sunderland. Igor Jesus scored twice, with Wood, Gibbs-White and Anderson also on target. Forest are now eight points clear of relegation...

Nottingham Forest scored four goals in a half for the second straight game. They stunned a shell-shocked Sunderland before the break at the Stadium of Light. The 5-0 rout moves the Tricky Trees eight points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

This was a huge opportunity for Sunderland to boost their European qualification hopes. They had the first chance when Chris Rigg ghosted in from the right flank. But the 18-year-old’s effort was tame and Matz Sels saved comfortably.

That was as good as it got for the hosts in a nightmare first half. They went behind after 17 minutes when Igor Jesus’ far-post header cannoned off Trai Hume and into the net for an own goal.

The Black Cats were unlucky on the opener, but they were fully responsible for their own downfall in the 31st minute. Forest made it 2-0.

Goalkeeper Robin Roefs passed straight to Chris Wood. Wood played it to Morgan Gibbs-White and got it back, then slotted home his first Premier League goal since the opening day of the season.

It got worse for Sunderland three minutes later. Jesus had time to nod a cross toward the penalty spot, and Gibbs-White fired in his sixth goal in six games across all competitions.

Home fans were already heading for the exits when Forest made it 4-0 eight minutes before half-time. Ola Aina’s effort deflected kindly for Jesus, who hammered a first-time volley past Roefs for his second goal in as many matches.

Sunderland started the second half with a point to prove. Dan Ballard thought he had pulled one back when he headed home from close range in the 61st minute. But referee Darren England ruled it out for an apparent foul by Nordi Mukiele on Sels after a VAR review.

A five-star performance from @NFFC as they take a huge step further clear of the relegation zone 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 pic.twitter.com/di6PKrsaz0

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 24, 2026

That decision ended any faint hopes of a Sunderland comeback. The Black Cats now face a fourth defeat in five games at the Stadium of Light, with one win. They had gone unbeaten in their first 12 home matches of the Premier League campaign.

Forest picked up more bookings, five, than shots, one, after the break. But they made that lone effort count. Newcastle United academy graduate Elliot Anderson rubbed salt in Sunderland’s wounds by sweeping home the fifth goal in stoppage time.

That came after Sels tipped Enzo Le Fee’s late piledriver over the bar to preserve his clean sheet. Vítor Pereira’s men took a huge step toward safety while stretching their unbeaten run to eight games across all competitions, with five wins and three draws.

A win for Nottingham Forest will take them eight points clear of the relegation zone

Follow @SunderlandAFC v @NFFC with Matchday Live 👇

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 24, 2026

Forest can now look ahead to Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa. They’ve scored four goals in each of their last two matches. Sunderland have conceded exactly that number and remain 11th in the table.