Nottm Forest thrash Sunderland to move eight points clear of Premier League relegation zone
Visitors were 4-0 up inside 36 minutes through Jesus, Gibbs-White, Wood & Hume own goal
Ex-Newcastle midfielder Anderson adds fifth in stoppage time
Forest now eight points above Tottenham in 18th
FT: Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest put themselves eight points clear of that third relegation spot, currently occupied by Spurs.
What a time to do it, too, on a Friday night before everyone else plays.
Over to the rest.
Image source, BBC SportFT: Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at Stadium of Light
Goodness me what a performance from Nottingham Forest.
A glistening first half saw them take a four goal lead into half time and Anderson added a fifth in added time at the end of the game.
This really turns the heat up now on West Ham and Tottenham in the fight to avoid relegation. Forest now in form and eight clear of the drop zone.
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Well played Forest. Surely now a two horse race for relegation?
Tim, Cirencester
Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
That is that!
A night to remember for Nottingham Forest. Five goals, five different goal scorers and a clean sheet.
Have Forest just secured their place in the Premier League?
Image source, PA MediaSunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
Don Goodman
Former Wolves striker on Sky Sports
Talk about rubbing salt in Sunderland wounds. Anderson scores the fifth. It's a season definer of a game for Forest, a Premier League saver.
They make the right choices at the right time, and it is a case of Anderson passing the ball into the bottom corner, and he can. Putting the seal on an oustanding evening.
Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest
Three Premier League goals for Elliot Anderson this season.
And an emotional one that, too. The midfielder's mother recently passed away.
Elliot Anderson (90+6 mins)
The icing on the cake!
Nottingham Forest have barely got past the halfway line in this half but they break forward and Taiwo Awoniyi does really well to hold the ball up. That allows Elliot Anderson to run onto it and just pass into the bottom corner.
What a way to cap off a superb night for the visitors.
Image source, PA MediaSunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Sunderland have had 82% possession over the last 15 minutes.
But they haven't been able to do anything with it.
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Catching up on the text commentary between cooking duties and I am grateful to Forest for scoring all of their goals on one page. Very considerate of them.
G Mc, Lincoln
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Don Goodman
Former Wolves striker on Sky Sports
I didn't think there was enough contact there from Milenkovic. Brobbey realises he's not going to get on the end of it and goes down way too easy.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
We're into seven minutes of stoppage time.
Brian Brobbey wants a penalty after going down under Nikola Milenkovic. VAR has a quick look but deem there's not enough in it.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Don Goodman
Former Wolves striker on Sky Sports
That is the first time that Sels has been extended. It's a thunderous strike from Le Fee and it is swerving viciously. It's a strong left hand from Sels.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Chris Wood makes way for Taiwo Awoniyi.
He receives a standing ovation from the travelling supporters.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
What an effort and what a save!
Enzo Le Fee chests the ball down on the edge of the area and unleashes a thumping strike which Matz Sels tips over the bar with his fingertips.
Cracking effort but the save was just as good.
Image source, ReutersSunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at Stadium of Light
Forest are 10 minutes away from victory after a tame second half that has seen a Sunderland goal disallowed and plenty of effort from the home side. Forest are doing the job professionally.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Don Goodman
Former Wolves striker on Sky Sports
Even when there's been a tiny bit of a threat, the Forest defenders have been able to snuff it out all night.
Image source, ReutersSunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
The ball comes in to the back post but Dan Ballard can't get it fully under control under pressure from Ryan Yates.
Not only will Forest earn a huge three points here but a clean sheet would also give their goal difference a serious boost.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Most of this second half has been played in Nottingham Forest's own half.
They've got just over 10 minutes to see this one out but you imagine we'll have a decent chunk of added time.
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Glynn, Derbyshire: Re Daniel [@21:26] the initial contact is accidental, but Mukiele then lifts his leg ,which in turn takes Sels legs out. It's 100% a foul and was rightly disallowed.
Sunderland 0-4 Nottingham Forest
Another one?!
Ryan Yates is the latest into the book for Forest for a foul.
That's four for the visitors.
Image source, ReutersAt a glance
Nottingham Forest go eight points clear of the drop with a stunning win kick-started by a Trai Hume own goal
Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus then add three quick goals in six first-half minutes
Elliot Anderson scores Forest's fifth in second-half injury time
Forest move to 39 points. No Premier League team has been relegated with 39 points or more since 2011
Nottingham Forest took a huge step towards Premier League survival with a big win at Sunderland to go eight points clear of the bottom three.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Igor Jesus' back-post header deflected in off Sunderland defender Trai Hume.
They doubled their lead in the 31st minute after Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs' pass was intercepted and Chris Wood was able to finish.
Three minutes later Morgan Gibbs-White powerfully found the bottom corner after being teed up by Igor Jesus' header.
In the 37th minute the Brazil striker smashed a loose ball into the net following a corner.
And Forest netted a fifth in second-half stoppage time through Elliot Anderson's low strike on the counter-attack.
The win took relegation-threatened Forest to 39 points, eight clear of 18th-placed Tottenham and six clear of 17th-placed West Ham.
Only six teams have ever been relegated from the Premier League with 39 points in the 38-game era, and none since 2011.
Sunderland's Dan Ballard thought he had pulled a goal back on the hour mark but the referee ruled it out for a foul by Nordi Mukiele on Forest keeper Matz Sels after being asked to check the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR).
'It isn't enough' - Pereira insists still work to be done following Sunderland rout
The win was Forest's biggest win of the season and backed up their 4-1 victory over Burnley last weekend.
Vitor Pereira's side are on a fantastic run at just the right time. They are unbeaten in six league games (three wins and three draws) and have a Europa League semi-final with Aston Villa on the horizon.
They stunned a Sunderland side who have the eighth-best home record this season.
The mood in the East Midlands is significantly more optimistic now than it was on 15 March - when Forest were last dragged into the relegation zone following a West Ham draw against Manchester City.
Pereira's team have since collected 10 points from a possible 12, a run which started with their crucial 3-0 win at relegation rivals Tottenham, and has lifted the club away from danger.
Individually, Gibbs-White continued his fine form. The England midfielder scored his seventh goal in as many games and also assisted Wood's strike with a clinical pass.
Wood, who has spent most of his season sidelined by a knee injury, scored his first Forest goal since netting two on the opening day of the season.
Le Bris describes Forest battering as 'painful'
Sunderland could have moved into the top eight with a win, potentially further boosting their hopes of European football next season.
But Regis le Bris' side were shocked by Forest, conceding three goals in six first-half minutes and were never able to get back into the game.
Friday's result was just the third time Sunderland have lost a league game on home soil by five or more goals - and the first since a 6-1 loss to Birmingham City in April 1958.
And worryingly for Sunderland, only Burnley (31) and Tottenham Hotspur (30) have conceded more goals than them (27) in the Premier League in 2026.
Before the new year only Arsenal (12) and Manchester City (17) had let in fewer than them in the top flight (18).
Nottingham Forest are at home to Aston Villa in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday (20:00 BST) and then travel to Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday, 4 May (15:00).
Sunderland are away to relegated Wolves in their next match on Saturday, 2 May.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 66 | 29 | 37 | 70 |
| |
| 33 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 63 | 26 | 37 | 70 |
| |
| 33 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 58 | 45 | 13 | 58 |
| |
| 33 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 47 | 41 | 6 | 58 |
| |
| 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 54 | 43 | 11 | 55 |
| |
| 34 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 48 | 39 | 9 | 50 |
| |
| 34 | 11 | 16 | 7 | 52 | 52 | 0 | 49 |
| |
| 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 53 | 45 | 8 | 48 |
| |
| 33 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 48 | 44 | 4 | 48 |
| |
| 33 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 40 | 39 | 1 | 47 |
| |
| 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 36 | 45 | -9 | 46 |
| |
| 33 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 43 | 46 | -3 | 45 |
| |
| 32 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 35 | 36 | -1 | 43 |
| |
| 33 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 46 | 49 | -3 | 42 |
| |
| 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 44 | 51 | -7 | 40 |
| |
| 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 39 |
| |
| 33 | 8 | 9 | 16 | 40 | 57 | -17 | 33 |
| |
| 33 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 42 | 53 | -11 | 31 |
| |
| 34 | 4 | 8 | 22 | 34 | 68 | -34 | 20 |
| |
| 33 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 24 | 61 | -37 | 17 |
|
Manager: Régis Le Bris
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Vítor Pereira
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
Manager: Régis Le Bris
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Vítor Pereira
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
High chance of scoring
Medium chance of scoring
Low chance of scoring
Dominant period
Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute. The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute.
Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute. The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute.
| Minute | Team with most threat |
|---|---|
Kick off 1' | Sunderland |
2' | Sunderland |
3' | Nottingham Forest |
4' | Nottingham Forest |
5' | Sunderland |
6' | Sunderland |
7' | Sunderland |
8' | Sunderland |
9' | Sunderland |
10' | Sunderland |
11' | Nottingham Forest |
12' | Nottingham Forest |
13' | Sunderland |
14' | Sunderland |
15' | Sunderland |
16' | Sunderland |
17' | Nottingham ForestOwn Goal |
18' | Nottingham Forest |
19' | Sunderland |
20' | Sunderland |
21' | Nottingham Forest |
22' | Nottingham Forest |
23' | Nottingham Forest |
24' | Nottingham Forest |
25' | Sunderland |
26' | Sunderland |
27' | Sunderland |
28' | Nottingham Forest |
29' | Nottingham Forest |
30' | Nottingham Forest |
31' | Nottingham ForestGoal |
32' | Nottingham Forest |
33' | Nottingham Forest |
34' | Nottingham ForestGoal |
35' | Nottingham Forest |
36' | Nottingham Forest |
37' | Nottingham ForestGoal |
38' | Nottingham Forest |
39' | Sunderland |
40' | Sunderland |
41' | Sunderland |
42' | Nottingham Forest |
43' | Sunderland |
44' | Sunderland |
45' | Sunderland |
45'+1 | Sunderland |
45'+2 | Sunderland |
45'+3 | Sunderland |
Half time 45'+4 | Sunderland |
46' | Sunderland |
47' | Sunderland |
48' | Sunderland |
49' | Sunderland |
50' | Nottingham Forest |
51' | Nottingham Forest |
52' | Nottingham Forest |
53' | Nottingham Forest |
54' | Nottingham Forest |
55' | Nottingham Forest |
56' | Sunderland |
57' | Sunderland |
58' | Sunderland |
59' | Sunderland |
60' | Sunderland |
61' | Sunderland |
62' | Sunderland |
63' | Sunderland |
64' | Sunderland |
65' | Sunderland |
66' | Sunderland |
67' | Nottingham Forest |
68' | Nottingham Forest |
69' | Nottingham Forest |
70' | Sunderland |
71' | Sunderland |
72' | Nottingham Forest |
73' | Sunderland |
74' | Sunderland |
75' | Sunderland |
76' | Sunderland |
77' | Sunderland |
78' | Sunderland |
79' | Sunderland |
80' | Sunderland |
81' | Sunderland |
82' | Sunderland |
83' | Sunderland |
84' | Sunderland |
85' | Sunderland |
86' | Sunderland |
87' | Sunderland |
88' | Sunderland |
89' | Sunderland |
90' | Sunderland |
90'+1 | Sunderland |
90'+2 | Sunderland |
90'+3 | Sunderland |
90'+4 | Sunderland |
90'+5 | Nottingham ForestGoal |
90'+6 | Nottingham Forest |
90'+7 | Nottingham Forest |
Full time 90'+8 | Nottingham Forest |
Premier League
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All competitions
All competitions
This is Sunderland’s first home league game against Nottingham Forest since a 1-0 defeat in September 2017, and first in the Premier League since a 1-1 draw in March 1997.
Nottingham Forest have lost five of their last six league games against Sunderland, with the exception being a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light in September 2017.
Nottingham Forest were beaten 1-0 by Sunderland earlier this season – the only newly promoted teams to do a Premier League double over them are Blackburn and Ipswich in 1992-93 and Fulham in 2022-23.
Sunderland have never won a Premier League game on a Friday (P3 D2 L1), the only day of the week they’re yet to win on. They could be the 21st team to win on all seven days in the competition.
Nottingham Forest have won two of their last three Premier League games (D1), as many as in their previous 14 combined (D5 L7). Forest are looking for consecutive wins for the first time since November when they beat Leeds and Liverpool.
Only Crystal Palace’s Premier League games (71) have seen fewer goals this season than Sunderland’s (76), with their 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa last time out making up 9% of the goals scored in games involving the Black Cats in 2025-26.
Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches (W2 D3), their best run of the season. They last had a longer run across December and January last season (eight games).
Vítor Pereira has won eight of his 13 Premier League matches across March and April with Wolves and Nottingham Forest (D4 L1), averaging 2.15 points per game. In all other months, he has won just four out of 26 games (D4 L18), averaging 0.62 points per game.
Chris Rigg became Sunderland’s third-youngest Premier League scorer in their 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa (18y 305d), behind Michael Bridges (18y 117d) and Connor Wickham (18y 212d). Only Jordan Henderson (23), Julio Arca (15) and Sean Thornton (11) have more starts as a teenager than Rigg (10).
Morgan Gibbs-White has six goals in his last six Premier League appearances, as many as he scored in his previous 28 games combined. He’s averaging a goal every 101 minutes under Vítor Pereira, the best ratio by any Nottingham Forest player with 2+ goals under a manager in the Premier League.
