Nottingham Forest fight back to beat West Ham as late VAR penalty proves decisive

Forest take a crucial step away from danger

Nottingham Forest claimed a vital 2-1 away win over West Ham United after fighting back from an early setback and scoring a dramatic late penalty. In a match shaped by set pieces and fine margins, Forest’s victory lifts them to 17th and seven points clear of the relegation zone, while West Ham stay 18th, now seven points behind Tuesday’s opponents.

The result also ended Forest’s run without a win in five matches. For West Ham, it extended a winless sequence to 10 games and added to the pressure on head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who has collected 11 points from 16 Premier League games since taking charge in September.

West Ham strike first through an own goal

West Ham began with intent and took the lead in the 13th minute, though the goal arrived in unfortunate fashion for the visitors. Crysencio Summerville delivered an excellent left-wing corner, Tomas Soucek flicked it on, and Forest defender Murillo headed into his own net from close range.

The hosts carried a threat from set plays and looked capable of building on their advantage. Forest, however, also created chances in the first half. Neco Williams forced a save from Alphonse Areola with a 20-yard effort that was tipped over, and Callum Hudson-Odoi came close when his strike hit the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.

Disallowed second goal becomes a turning point

West Ham thought they had doubled their lead when Summerville struck again, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check. New signing Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos, making his Premier League debut after joining earlier in the week, was judged to be narrowly offside earlier in the move.

That decision proved pivotal. West Ham went into half-time 1-0 ahead, but the momentum shifted after the disallowed goal and Forest soon made their pressure count.

Dominguez heads Forest level from another corner

Forest’s equaliser came from a set piece that closely mirrored West Ham’s opener. Elliot Anderson swung an inswinging corner in from the left and Nicolas Dominguez met it with a looping header to make it 1-1. The visitors had levelled within 10 minutes of the second half, and the match became increasingly tense as both sides chased a result with significant implications near the bottom of the table.

Forest manager Sean Dyche later described the contest as an “edgy” and “awkward” game, emphasising the importance of finding a way to win even when the performance is not perfect.

Late penalty drama after VAR intervention

The decisive moment arrived late on, again involving VAR. Forest were awarded a penalty after a corner when West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola failed to get to a cross and his fist collided with Morgan Gibbs-White’s face. The spot-kick was given following intervention from the video assistant referee.

Gibbs-White then converted calmly to seal a 2-1 win, prompting jubilant celebrations from Forest at the final whistle. The captain later said he had been struck in the face and did not initially know what was happening, only realising it was a penalty when informed by the officials.

Conflicting reactions to key decisions

West Ham were left frustrated, feeling they had done enough to win. Nuno Espirito Santo pointed to “tight margins” and the disallowed goal, while also questioning consistency around penalty decisions. Soucek was particularly critical of the spot-kick, saying he did not understand how such incidents are judged and describing the situation as confusing.

Dyche, meanwhile, said he had been told both VAR decisions were correct and praised his side’s response after going behind. He highlighted the “grit and determination” shown by his players and singled out Dominguez for his team play and work rate.

West Ham effort, but familiar problems

Despite the disappointment, West Ham did have periods where they looked in control. They began the second half strongly, with Jarrod Bowen firing just over, and continued to press for a second goal. Castellanos worked hard on debut but struggled to carve out clear openings; his best chance in the first half came from a Soucek cross, but the volley did not come cleanly and the opportunity passed.

Nuno introduced another January signing, Brazilian forward Pablo Felipe, who joined from Gil Vicente. Felipe’s best effort was deflected over the bar, but West Ham’s lack of clinical finishing again proved costly as they failed to protect a lead and later a point.

At full-time, some supporters booed, and many had already left before the whistle. Nuno had previously apologised to fans for what he called an “embarrassing” performance in a 3-0 defeat by Wolves, and while he felt his team produced enough good play to win this match, the outcome deepened the club’s predicament.

What the result means

• Nottingham Forest move to 17th and are seven points clear of the relegation zone.

• West Ham remain 18th, seven points behind Forest, and their winless run extends to 10 matches.

• Forest’s win was their first in five matches, easing the immediate pressure after four successive league defeats.

Next fixtures

Both clubs now turn attention to the FA Cup before returning to Premier League action. West Ham host Queens Park Rangers in the third round on Sunday (14:30 GMT) and then travel to Tottenham on Saturday, 17 January (15:00 GMT). Nottingham Forest visit Wrexham on Friday (19:30 GMT) before hosting league leaders Arsenal on Saturday, 17 January (17:30 GMT).

For Forest, the night ended with a significant boost and renewed belief. For West Ham, it was another evening of narrow margins and late heartbreak, leaving them with an “almighty battle” to preserve their top-flight status.