Chris Wood produced a sensational hat-trick to lead Nottingham Forest to a remarkable 7-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.
The match, held at the City Ground in Nottingham, saw an extraordinary performance from Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as they cruised to a massive win that boosted their hopes of securing a Champions League spot for next season.
The win was even more significant after Forest had suffered a 5-0 defeat at Bournemouth the previous weekend. Despite that setback, Forest came out strong and dominated Brighton from start to finish, showcasing impressive attacking play. The game got off to a surprising start with an own goal from Brighton’s Lewis Dunk, who turned Morgan Gibbs-White’s low cross into his own net just 12 minutes in.
Forest’s second goal came from Gibbs-White himself, who made the most of Anthony Elanga’s precise corner to score with a powerful header. Elanga continued to impress, providing the assist for Wood’s first goal in the 30th minute, as Wood netted his 15th Premier League goal of the season, setting a new personal best for himself.
After the break, Wood was at it again, scoring two more goals to complete his hat-trick. Elanga’s brilliant run down the right side and perfect cross helped Wood tap in his fourth goal, and soon after, a foul on Gibbs-White in the box allowed Wood to convert a penalty for his third.
With his hat-trick, Wood is now closing in on Forest’s all-time Premier League goal-scoring record of 24, held by Stan Collymore. The victory also propelled Forest to the same points tally as second-placed Arsenal, and they now have a comfortable seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for a Champions League spot. A top-five finish in the league this season is expected to be enough for qualification, with English clubs performing well in European competitions.
Brighton, on the other hand, suffered a damaging defeat that hurt their European hopes. Despite a bold starting lineup with five forwards, Brighton’s defense was left exposed, and they paid the price for it. The result was a tough one for manager Fabian Hurzeler, whose team has won only two of their last 11 league matches.
