Everton climbed to eighth in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory at Nottingham Forest, as David Moyes described the result as one of the strongest of his current spell. Goals from James Garner and Thierno Barry ended a three-game winless run and came despite a heavily reduced squad.
Moyes viewed the display as a major step up from the goalless draw at Burnley, stressing the importance of the performance as much as the scoreline. The win arrived with key players missing and with limited options among the substitutes, adding weight to the manager’s assessment of the night.
Defensive absences had already affected Everton, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall unavailable before the trip to the City Ground. The situation worsened when
Carlos Alcaraz and Michael Keane were also ruled out for the match on 30 December, leaving Moyes with few senior alternatives to call upon.
In that context, Moyes told BBC Sport the result stood out during his tenure. "I think [its] one of the better results we've had since I've come into the job because of how depleted we are," said Moyes to BBC Sport. "We didn't have enough senior players on the bench to make too many changes. We defended well and took our moments when we got them. We didn't play particularly well against Burnley, but today we did. "
Amazing support tonight and throughout 2025, Blues! pic.twitter.com/ZLDswLF5a7Everton (@Everton) December 30, 2025
Garner struck in a fixture against the club where Garner previously played, and Moyes highlighted the midfielder’s influence. Garner now has direct involvement in five league goals this season, already moving beyond his previous Premier League best of three, which came two seasons earlier.
Moyes was clear about Garner’s importance. "He was fantastic tonight, he really was," said Moyes. "Coming back to his old club, I thought he played really well. but he has for a while. He's playing so well for us and he's taken on a bit more responsibility, a bit more of the leadership, so he's really matured. "
| Match | Competition | Score | Everton scorers | Nottingham Forest scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham Forest vs Everton | Premier League | 0-2 | James Garner, Thierno Barry | None |
Everton also brought Jack Grealish back into action from the bench after Grealish missed the Burnley match, offering Moyes at least one positive on the fitness front. However, several regular starters are still sidelined, and Moyes made clear how much Everton still depend on those players returning.
Moyes stressed that point while also praising those available. "We need our main players back to give us the best chance of pushing on, but all credit to our lads. " The manager’s comments reflected both satisfaction with the squad’s response and awareness that the season remains demanding.
On the opposite side, Sean Dyche experienced a second defeat to his former club in less than a month and accepted that Everton deserved the points. Nottingham Forest could not find a way through and were repeatedly frustrated by an organised visiting defence at the City Ground.
Dyche acknowledged Everton’s control. He told BBC Sport: "Credit to them, they defended really well, it was a great away performance. They're an experienced group, I know them well and they dealt with everything. There are still a lot of good things here, but I think it was a naive performance compared to that of the Everton group. "
| Team | Current run | League position | Points from relegation zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham Forest | Three defeats | 17th | Four points |
| Everton | Ended three-match winless streak | 8th | N/A |
Forest’s loss extended a poor sequence to three straight league defeats, leaving the club 17th and only four points clear of the relegation places at the halfway stage of the campaign. Dyche, however, urged perspective as Forest attempt to stabilise results in the coming weeks.
Dyche highlighted the need for balance in reaction to results. "The story changes quickly," he said. "We have to stay consistent and stay in the bandwidth between being not too high and not too low. Every game is a big week, I never get involved with all of that. We have to win these games, and certainly not lose them. "
The match left Everton encouraged by a composed away display under pressure, with Moyes drawing confidence from both the defensive strength and key contributions from players like Garner and Barry. Forest, under Dyche, faced renewed questions after another defeat but still have time to respond in the remaining half of the Premier League season.
