Match ends, Everton 2, Nottingham Forest 0.
Everton took an important step towards Premier League survival with victory over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in a controversial affair at Goodison Park.
Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil scored with long-range efforts in each half to settle the battle between the two clubs who have suffered Premier League points deductions this season - with appeals pending that could still shape their fate as the campaign reaches its climax.
Everton have now moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on Luton Town but Forest remain deep in trouble, only a point ahead of the Hatters.
Forest, however, were left fuming by referee Anthony Taylor ignoring three penalty appeals, including when Ashley Young handled in the closing moments of the opening half and then when the veteran tangled with Callum Hudson-Odoi as he raced in on goal in the second period.
After the match, Forest sent out a strongly-worded post on social media platform X, criticising "three extremely poor decisions" and the appointment of Stuart Attwell as video assistant referee for the game.
BBC Sport is contacting the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the English professional referees' body, for a response.
Everton broke the deadlock after 29 minutes when Gueye fired low past Matz Sels, only his second goal in a century of attempts from outside the area, with McNeil settling the destiny of the points when he drilled home via the post from 25 yards with 14 minutes left.
- 'Some light at end of very dark tunnel for Everton'
- How did you rate Everton's performance? Have your say here
- What did you make of Forest's display? Send us your views here
There were worrying scenes in stoppage time when Everton striker Beto went down after an aerial challenge with Morgan Gibbs-White.
He lay motionless and the game was stopped for eight minutes while he received treatment before he was taken away on a stretcher. He did, however, appear to gesture to the Everton supporters as he was leaving the pitch.
Everton bounce back from embarrassment
Everton needed an instant response after the humiliation of Monday's 6-0 loss at Chelsea and while, apart from the two goals, it was not a performance to earn points for artistic merit, it earned points of a far more significant kind as the Toffees once again find themselves embroiled in a fight against relegation.
They were thankful for an outstanding save by England keeper Jordan Pickford from Forest striker Chris Wood with the score 1-0 and those controversial moments when Young escaped conceding penalties.
Everton, however, showed the battling qualities that were absent at Stamford Bridge, took the chances they had and cashed in on the moments of good fortune afforded to them.
It was not a game of any serious quality, which was hardly to be expected between two struggling teams in a tense situation, but this is immaterial at this stage of the season.
Jarrad Branthwaite demonstrated once again why he is so highly regarded as Everton kept Forest at bay, enabling Sean Dyche's side to make a winning start to a week that could yet define their season, with a Merseyside derby to come against Liverpool at Goodison Park on Wednesday and another home game against Brentford next Saturday evening.
Forest deep in trouble
Nottingham Forest will feel deeply aggrieved about decisions that went against them at crucial stages of a tight game, but the bottom line is that they are now even deeper in the relegation fight after a defeat that allowed Everton to move four points clear of Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
Forest had neat possession on occasions and Wood will feel he should have drawn Forest level, with Gibbs-White also sending a finish carelessly wide when he should have equalised in the second half.
In the end, they were undone by those strikes from Gueye and McNeil to leave Forest and manager Nuno looking anxiously ahead to their closing games while still hoping to get some respite from their appeal against the deduction of four points for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
Forest face reigning Premier League champions Manchester City next at the City Ground and will need to find more cutting edge from somewhere to ensure their battle to stay in the top flight is successful.
Player of the match
BranthwaiteJarrad Branthwaite
Everton
Avg
- Squad number32Player nameBranthwaiteAverage rating
7.25
- Squad number7Player nameMcNeilAverage rating
7.11
- Squad number27Player nameGueyeAverage rating
7.10
- Squad number6Player nameTarkowskiAverage rating
6.84
- Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
6.76
- Squad number19Player nameMykolenkoAverage rating
6.73
- Squad number14Player nameBetoAverage rating
6.71
- Squad number28Player nameYoussef ChermitiAverage rating
6.58
- Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
6.57
- Squad number37Player nameGarnerAverage rating
6.51
- Squad number21Player nameAndré GomesAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number11Player nameHarrisonAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number9Player nameCalvert-LewinAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
5.69
Nottingham Forest
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameN WilliamsAverage rating
4.82
- Squad number11Player nameWoodAverage rating
4.51
- Squad number40Player nameMurilloAverage rating
4.51
- Squad number10Player nameGibbs-WhiteAverage rating
4.40
- Squad number14Player nameHudson-OdoiAverage rating
4.33
- Squad number19Player nameNiakhatéAverage rating
4.28
- Squad number43Player nameAinaAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number26Player nameSelsAverage rating
4.08
- Squad number28Player nameDaniloAverage rating
4.08
- Squad number20Player nameReynaAverage rating
4.05
- Squad number16Player nameDomínguezAverage rating
3.96
- Squad number21Player nameElangaAverage rating
3.92
- Squad number22Player nameYatesAverage rating
3.81
- Squad number27Player nameOrigiAverage rating
3.57
- Squad number37Player nameRodrigo RibeiroAverage rating
3.52
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Pickford
- 18Young
- 6Tarkowski
- 32BranthwaiteBooked at 80mins
- 19Mykolenko
- 27Gueye
- 11HarrisonBooked at 82mins
- 16DoucouréBooked at 74mins
- 21André GomesSubstituted forGarnerat 67'minutes
- 7McNeil
- 9Calvert-LewinSubstituted forGomes Betuncalat 67'minutesSubstituted forRamalho Chermitiat 90+10'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 5Keane
- 8Onana
- 10Danjuma
- 12Neves Virgínia
- 14Gomes Betuncal
- 22Godfrey
- 28Ramalho Chermiti
- 37Garner
- 51Warrington
Nottm Forest
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Sels
- 7N Williams
- 19Niakhaté
- 40Santiago Costa dos SantosBooked at 90mins
- 43Aina
- 16DomínguezSubstituted forYatesat 80'minutesBooked at 81mins
- 28DaniloSubstituted forDuarte Ribeiroat 80'minutes
- 20ReynaSubstituted forElangaat 53'minutes
- 10Gibbs-White
- 14Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forOrigiat 80'minutes
- 11Wood
Substitutes
- 1Turner
- 6Sangaré
- 15Toffolo
- 21Elanga
- 22Yates
- 27Origi
- 29Montiel
- 32Omobamidele
- 37Duarte Ribeiro
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 39,239
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 2, Nottingham Forest 0.
Booking
Youssef Chermiti (Everton) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Youssef Chermiti (Everton).
Booking
Murillo (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Murillo (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Youssef Chermiti (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Youssef Chermiti replaces Beto because of an injury.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Beto (Everton).
Post update
Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jack Harrison (Everton).
Post update
Foul by Murillo (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Beto (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by James Garner (Everton).
Comments
Join the conversation
Limited quality and to be totally honest most of what counted came from Everton so, first, congrats on a good win. Great save by Pickford. Second finish was great.
But, boys and girls, there is a but.
Is anyone left out there advocating for VAR.
It is a wretched and embarrassing intrusion on the game. End it.
Now.
Total disgrace for this level. The money involved in the premier league, one would think some of it could be used to hire the best referees in world football.
VAR and ref were awful. 2pens at least.... others were arguable. Seems a strange decision to have Atwell involved, so I understand the emotions, but that does not permit Forest to behave like toddlers not getting their way.
Forest were not good enough today... on or off the pitch.
If it's a penalty it's a penalty.