Nottingham Forest‘s hopes of securing Champions League football for next season have taken another hit, with the Reds held to a 2-2 draw by already-relegated Leicester City at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon.
Conor Coady sent Leicester into a shock lead, but Morgan Gibbs-White scored himself before setting up Chris Wood to score early in the second period, with the home side turning the contest around.
Leicester were not finished, though, levelling the scores late on through Facundo Buonanotte, and Forest, despite their best efforts, could not come up with a third in the final exchanges to secure what would have been a vital three points.
Forest are seventh in the Premier League table, two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea with two games left, while Leicester have moved onto 22 points, but the Foxes stay in 19th position in England’s top flight.
SPORTS MOLE’S VERDICT
© Imago
Forest are wobbling, and it could cost them Champions League football for next season, which would be such a huge blow considering how impressive the team have been for large portions of this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side have now been victorious in just one of their last six Premier League matches, and they now face games against West Ham United and Chelsea to conclude their season.
As it stands, Forest are securing qualification for the Conference League playoff round, but the Europa League and Champions League are still open for them heading into the final two matchdays of the campaign.
Leicester are preparing for a return to the Championship, but the Foxes can take plenty of positives from the fact that they have now picked up four points from their last two matches.
Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s side will take on fellow relegated side Ipswich Town in their next match before ending the season away to Bournemouth, and those connected with the club will be feeling a lot better about themselves after two strong results in quick succession.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS. LEICESTER HIGHLIGHTS
Conor Coady goal vs. Nottingham Forest (16th min, Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leicester)
“Leicester shock their East Midlands rivals” 😳
Connor Coady has given the visitors the lead at the City Ground 🔵 pic.twitter.com/oZFacsUyhN
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
Leicester take the lead in the 15th minute of the contest, as Coady heads into the back of the net from close range after Forest goalkeeper Mats Selz had pushed a strike from Bilal El Khannouss into a dangerous area.
Morgan Gibbs-White goal vs. Leicester (25th min, Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leicester)
“When his side needed him most, HE STEPS UP!” 🗣️
Morgan Gibbs-White heads the ball home 👊 pic.twitter.com/ehRzkzWHIC
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
Forest level the scores in the 25th minute of the contest, as Gibbs-White heads a corner from Anthony Elanga into the back of the net – huge goal for the home side at a crucial period of this Premier League fixture.
Chris Wood goal vs. Leicester (56th min, Nottingham Forest 2-1 Leicester)
Forest have the lead! 💥
Chris Wood has his 20th Premier League goal this season and it’s a HUGE one for Nottingham Forest in their quest for Champions League football! pic.twitter.com/MfzDzUlB37
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
Forest take the lead in the 56th minute of the contest, as Wood heads a brilliant cross from Gibbs-White into the back of the net from close range; that is now 20 Premier League goals for the season for Wood.
Facundo Buonanotte goal vs. Forest (81st min, Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester)
“He charmed his way through!” 🔥
Facundo Buonanotte has brought Leicester level with a delightful goal ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/C66bBNXZmh
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2025
Leicester level the scores in the 81st minute of the match, with Buonanotte showing wonderful feet inside the Forest box before finding the back of the net; that is an excellent goal from the attacker.
MAN OF THE MATCH – MORGAN GIBBS-WHITE
© Imago
Gibbs-White again showed his class on Sunday afternoon, with the Englishman putting in a brilliant performance, scoring his side’s first before setting up Wood to head Forest into a 2-1 lead in the second period.
The 25-year-old also finished the match with a pass completion rate of 88%, and it will be very difficult for Forest to keep hold of him during this summer’s transfer window considering his quality.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS. LEICESTER MATCH STATS
Possession: Nottingham Forest 56%-44% Leicester
Shots: Nottingham Forest 15-10 Leicester
Shots on target: Nottingham Forest 4-6 Leicester
Corners: Nottingham Forest 4-4 Leicester
Fouls: Nottingham Forest 11-10 Leicester
BEST STAT
20 – Chris Wood, who now has 100 Premier League goal involvements (89 goals, 11 assists), is only the second player to score 20+ goals for Nottingham Forest in a single season in the competition, after Stan Collymore in 1994-95 (22). Pivotal. pic.twitter.com/5YGM75JOfd
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 11, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
Forest will be bidding to return to winning ways when they head to West Ham United next Sunday, before finishing their campaign at home to Chelsea on May 25.
As for Leicester, their final match of the season at the King Power Stadium will come against Ipswich next Sunday, before the Foxes conclude their campaign away to Bournemouth on May 25.
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