Nottingham Forest gave their Premier League survival hopes a significant boost after coming from behind to beat West Ham United 2-1 at the London Stadium, opening

up a seven-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

Morgan Gibbs-White was the decisive figure on the night, winning and converting a penalty in the 89th minute to secure Forest’s first victory in five matches and deepen West Ham’s growing troubles.

The hosts had taken an early lead when Tomas Soucek’s flicked header from a corner was inadvertently turned into his own net by Murillo in the 13th minute, handing the Hammers a much-needed advantage.

Forest responded positively and went close before the break, with Callum Hudson-Odoi cutting inside and rattling the crossbar, while Alphonse Areola had earlier produced a superb save to keep out Neco Williams’ curling strike from distance.

West Ham thought they had doubled their lead shortly after half-time when Crysencio Summerville found the net, but celebrations were cut short after a VAR review ruled the goal out for offside in the build-up.

That decision proved pivotal. Just three minutes later, Forest were level as Nicolas Dominguez rose highest to meet Elliot Anderson’s corner, looping a header into the far post to restore parity.

With the game finely balanced, both sides struggled to create clear chances as Forest sat deep and looked to frustrate the home side, while West Ham pushed forward in search of a winner.

The decisive moment arrived late on when Areola misjudged a free-kick, punching at the ball but instead catching Gibbs-White in the face. After another VAR intervention, referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot, and Forest’s captain calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, firing straight down the middle.

The goal capped a disciplined and resilient performance from Sean Dyche’s side, who defended stoutly in the closing stages to see out the win.

The result leaves Forest seven points clear of West Ham, who sit just above the relegation zone and could drop to 19th should Burnley win their game in hand. It also extends the Hammers’ winless Premier League run to 10 matches — their longest such sequence since 2007.

For West Ham, the spotlight fell harshly on Areola, whose evening swung from crucial early saves to a costly late error that ultimately decided the contest.

Forest, meanwhile, may now begin to look upwards rather than over their shoulder. They face Wrexham in the FA Cup third round next before a daunting league test at home against leaders Arsenal.

West Ham’s immediate focus turns to a difficult run of fixtures as pressure continues to mount on Nuno Espirito Santo, with confidence around the London Stadium wearing thin. Photo by Garth Newton, Wikimedia commons.