Nottingham Forest Secure Late Victory As Gibbs-White Penalty Seals Win At West Ham

Nottingham Forest gained a vital 2-1 win over West Ham United at London Stadium, stretching the cushion to seven points above the Premier League relegation zone. A tense match swung late, as Forest overturned

a half-time deficit to claim a rare comeback victory.

The decisive moment arrived on 89 minutes when a high ball into the West Ham box drew Alphonse Areola off the line. The goalkeeper caught Morgan Gibbs-White in the face while attempting to clear, and the Forest captain converted the resulting penalty with composure.

West Ham had moved in front from a first-half set piece. Crysencio Summerville delivered an inswinging corner, Tomas Soucek glanced it on, and Murillo, tracking back, headed the ball past Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels for an unfortunate own goal that lifted the home crowd.

Forest almost struck first after 10 minutes when Neco Williams tried his luck from distance. Areola reacted sharply, tipping the shot around the post. The warning energised West Ham, who applied more pressure before the own goal arrived, with both sides trading attacks in a stretched opening spell.

The second half opened in similar fashion, with chances at either end. Callum Hudson-Odoi bent a curling effort against the crossbar as Forest chased an equaliser, while Summerville thought a second West Ham goal had arrived, only for VAR to rule the effort out for an earlier offside by debutant Valetin Castellanos.

Forest punished that reprieve swiftly. Less than three minutes after the disallowed goal, Elliot Anderson swung in a corner from the left. Nicolas Dominguez rose highest and sent a looping header beyond Areola, pulling Forest level and shifting the momentum towards the visiting side.

Three big points in the capital. pic.twitter.com/2EWUslpX12Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) January 6, 2026

Underlying numbers highlighted how balanced the contest was. West Ham generated 0.97 expected goals from 14 shots, while Nottingham Forest posted 1.35 expected goals from 13 attempts, a figure raised by Gibbs-White’s late penalty that sealed all three points.

Elliot Anderson produced a standout midfield display that may interest England manager Thomas Tuchel. Anderson led Nottingham Forest in several metrics, including touches, passes, duels, ball recoveries and interceptions, underlining the influence on both possession and defensive work during a tight Premier League contest.

This match marked the 103rd occasion Nottingham Forest had trailed at half-time in a Premier League game. It was only the second time they had overturned such a deficit to win, adding to a previous comeback success recorded in January 1997 against Tottenham.

Game management again hurt West Ham’s season. Only Bournemouth, with 16, have dropped more Premier League points from winning positions this campaign than West Ham’s 15. The Hammers have now failed to win any of their last five league matches when scoring first, drawing three and losing two.

Forest’s victory tightened control over the relegation fight and delivered a rare away comeback, while West Ham’s inability to protect leads continued. The result deepened frustration for the home side yet offered Forest confidence and breathing space heading into the next phase of the Premier League season.