Nottingham Forest 0-2 Norwich City (EFL Championship) 17.03.21

Forest were well beaten at the City Ground by a Norwich City team that are top of the league and who look destined for promotion at the first attempt.

The Canaries who played Premier League football last season, were much too good for the Reds on the night and it was two early goals that pretty much put the game out of sight from as early as the thirteenth minute.

Teemu Pukki giving Tyler Blackett the shoulder before firing in low and hard on nine minutes before ex-Red Kieran Dowell hit a stunner, low and hard this time in the opposite corner of the Trent End goal, left footed from all of 25 yards past Jordan Smith who was in for Brice Samba.

It could have been worse before half time, Pukki shooting into the side netting before Kenny McLean racing through the midfield, forced Smith into a good stop one on one. The league leaders dominant and in full control as the Referee put temporary end to the home sides misery by blowing for half time.

The second half did show improvement for Forest. Luke Freeman tricking and teasing inside the area before curling an effort wide. Lewis Grabban should have scored when put through by Joe Garner, his effort lacked interest and intent, a player suffering confidence and loss of form after being sidelined in recent weeks.

Todd Cantwell could perhaps of rounded things off when he mis-cued to fire wide from Pukki’s pull back, but in the end it was a convincing win for the best team in the division, Forest have a lot to do still to make up the gulf in class on those chasing their dream of the Premier League.

After the match, Forest Manager Chris Hughton, who used to manage Norwich himself, stated “It was a very tough night, particularly in that first-half period when they started a lot better than us. Overall you can see why they are where they are and they are clear in this division, I don’t think there are too many better teams that I have seen in this division, but we needed to get closer to them.”

Next up for Forest is another tough test at the weekend as Chris Hughton’s men travel to Brentford, another side who are chasing promotion to the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest: Smith, Christie, Figueiredo, McKenna, Blackett, Yates (Murray 86), Garner, Ameobi, Cafu, Freeman (Mighten 76), Grabban (Taylor 76).

Norwich City: Krul, Giannoulis, Gibson, Hanley, Aarons, McLean, Skipp (Zimmermann 90), Cantwell (Tettey 90), Rupp (Sorensen 85), Dowell (Hernandez 88); Pukki (Hugill 88).

Venue: City Ground

*Main image @NFFC Cafu in action against a very good Norwich City.