On the banks of the River Trent, Nottingham Forest produced a clear, confident performance and swept past Tottenham Hotspur 3-0. Callum Hudson-Odoi struck twice and Ibrahim Sangare finished it off with a fine third. Spurs, fresh from back-to-back home wins last week, never found rhythm. They landed just one shot on target.

The City Ground has seen some stirring afternoons. This was one of them. The home crowd of 30,579 fed on energy and control, and Forest met the moment. By full-time, the scoreline felt earned and the message simple: Forest were better in all the right places.

Hudson-Odoi shines as Forest take charge

Hudson-Odoi set the tone. His opener on 28 minutes rewarded Forest’s patience and pressure. His second, five minutes after the break, put real daylight between the teams. Both goals spoke to sharp movement and calm finishing. They also showed how comfortable Forest were in wide areas and around the box.

Morgan Gibbs-White, wearing the armband, linked play smartly. He asked questions at set pieces too, drawing a late save from Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with a free-kick that fizzed through bodies. But the day belonged to Hudson-Odoi, whose two strikes gave Forest control and belief.

“This is how you play on the Trent—front foot, fearless, clinical.”

Sangare’s stunner seals a complete win

If Hudson-Odoi built the platform, Sangare put the exclamation point on it. On 79 minutes, the midfielder lashed home a magnificent third to settle any nerves and cap a strong midfield shift. It was the strike of a player in full control of the moment, and it matched the mood in the stands—loud, certain, and proud.

From there, Forest managed the game well. They were steady in duels, tidy in transitions, and happy to keep Spurs at arm’s length. Tottenham never looked like finding a way back. One shot on target told the story: this was Forest’s game, dictated at Forest’s pace.

“Three goals, one scare—Forest made Spurs look short of ideas.”

Tottenham’s blunt edge raises big questions

Spurs arrived with confidence after two home wins, but this was their fourth defeat in seven league matches. That trend matters. Away from home, they lacked bite and control. The midfield did not push the tempo, the front line did not stretch the pitch, and there was little second-ball pressure.

Credit to Vicario for late stops from a Gibbs-White free-kick and an Omari Hutchinson rebound. Those saves kept the score from getting worse. But the bigger point is their shot map: only one effort on target. For a side with top-four goals, that number is simply not enough.

“One shot on target? That’s a warning light, not a blip.”

Details that shaped the day at the City Ground

Referee Sam Barrott kept a firm handle on proceedings. The bookings reflected the flow: Savona for Forest; Gray, Bergvall, and Pedro Porro for Spurs. The weather—light cloud, a moderate breeze, cool at 11 degrees—made for quick passing and crisp touches. Forest welcomed that. Tottenham could not use it.

Forest lined up in a 4-2-3-1 and got strong balance across the pitch:

• Starting XI: Victor; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White (c), Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.
• Substitutes used: Douglas Luiz (for Jesus 85′), Ndoye (for Hudson-Odoi 90+2′).
• Unused: Gunn, Morato, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Zinchenko, Abbott.

The shape worked. The double pivot held firm. The three behind the striker carried speed and craft. And when moments came—set pieces, counters, half-chances—Forest took them.

Why this result matters

For Forest, the win is more than three points. It is proof of an identity at home: brave, tidy, and composed under pressure. Performances like this build trust in the stands and belief in the dressing room. When your winger scores twice and your midfielder smashes in a third, you leave with a clear story and a happy crowd.

For Spurs, the trend line is a concern. Four defeats in seven league games can’t be brushed off, especially with such a quiet attacking output here. The team will look for answers in movement and aggression, and in getting more from their wide players away from home. Manager Thomas Frank’s post-match comments were pending, but he will know the numbers and the tape point in the same direction: more urgency, more shots, more control.

Match facts at a glance

• Score: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Hudson-Odoi 28′, 50′; Sangare 79′)
• Venue: The City Ground, Nottingham
• Attendance: 30,579
• Referee: Sam Barrott
• Weather: Light cloud, moderate breeze, 11°C
• Bookings: Forest – Savona; Spurs – Gray, Bergvall, Pedro Porro
• Spurs shots on target: 1

The final word

This was a clean, mature win for Nottingham Forest and a sobering day for Tottenham. The home side earned everything they got: two goals from Hudson-Odoi, a beauty from Sangare, and a crowd carried along for the ride. Spurs will regroup and respond, but the lesson is simple. If you can’t test the goalkeeper, you don’t test the scoreboard. Forest did both, and did it well.