Forest took the lead immediately through Wood, then Diogo Jota scored in the second half. Brentord equalized in the 92nd minute against Guardiola, only West Ham won
The night of draws at the resumption of the Premier League. In Nottingham no winner between Forest and Liverpool, even if Espirito Santo’s team again scares the league leaders. City suffers a sensational comeback at Brentford, Maresca’s Chelsea grabs a draw with Bournemouth by the skin of their teeth. First win for Graham Potter’s West Ham.
Nottingham Forest-Liverpool 1-1
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The Reds are too much for everyone, but Forest are a fairy tale destined to last. This is the verdict of the match at the vibrant City Ground, where the home team went ahead first and toyed with the idea of beating Liverpool twice, after knocking them out in the first leg, but the guests woke up when Jota equalized in the 66th minute and in the last half hour they find all those shots on goal that they hadn’t found until the 1-1 draw. The draw leaves Liverpool with a 6-point lead and a game to recover, puts Forest momentarily second and gives Arsenal the chance to close the gap tomorrow. The leaders of the first hour were an inconclusive team, although in control of the game, as evidenced by the zero shots on goal until the 66th minute. Forest went first through Wood after 8′, then showed off that simple football based on sensational defending that took them up to second place in the table. The draw changes everything: Slot guesses the change, because Jota who scores and Tsimikas who takes the corner headed by the Portuguese had both come on a minute earlier, but then he finds that aggressive and determined Liverpool that travels at a pace that is unsustainable for everyone. The victory did not come due to the saves of Sels, the Forest goalkeeper who has the season record for clean sheets (9), but the draw overall is the fairest result. Because when Liverpool play determined it’s too much for everyone. And Forest are a splendid fairy tale who seem to have understood how to harness it. Lucky for Slot that the seasonal crossings are over.
Brentford-Manchester City 2-2
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City are not yet recovered. Ahead by two goals in the second half at Brentford thanks to a brace from the rediscovered Phil Foden, who finally resembles the phenomenon chosen as the best of the last Premier League, the champions came from behind by two goals from the 82nd minute onwards and were grateful for a save on the Aké’s line if they avoid a sensational collapse in the final. The half-full glass of the champions says fourth consecutive useful result, 8 points in four games good to rise to 35, the half-empty glass says that the defensive amnesias that have characterized the crisis since mid-October are still there, ready to be exploited. Brentford, who rise to 28 points in mid-table, only succeeded in the final: with Wissa, who became the best goalscorer in their history in the Premier League, and with Nørgaard, who equalized in the 92nd minute. While waiting for reinforcements, Guardiola still has a lot of work to do.
Chelsea-Bournemouth 2-2
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Salvation for Enzo Maresca came in the 95th minute, in the form of a free kick from Reece James which saved Chelsea from a home flop against the remains of Bournemouth, so battered by injuries that they finished with just 11 players available. The Blues captain hadn’t played in the Premier League since November 10, when his fourth appearance of the season lasted just 9 minutes. The trial run against Morecambe in the FA Cup was useful, as will this goal to restore confidence in an important player for Maresca. The defeat against a team kept on the ropes for the entire first half, skewered by Palmer but then capable of a turnaround in the second half, would instead have been damaging. It remains for the Blues the fifth match in a row in the Premier League without success, a clear slowdown that Maresca expected and which he is now trying to manage, focusing on the positive things (such as the dominance of the first half) and those on which to improve (the defensive stability ). Bournemouth, despite the injuries, achieved 9 consecutive useful results.
West Ham-Fulham 3-2
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Graham Potter must sweat his first victory as West Ham manager. Ahead 2-0 at half-time with two goals in three minutes, the Hammers risk a turnaround in the second half, with Fulham dreaming of a comeback thanks to a brace from Iwobi. It remains the victory that starts the Potter era on the right foot at the London Stadium, brings West Ham to 26 points and ends a run of two defeats. Fulham remain on 30 points and end their unbeaten run which lasted 8 matches.
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