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Oct 26, 2024

Leicester 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Chris Wood bags stunning brace to seal all three points in a nightmare reunion for Foxes boss Steve Cooper against his former club

By Tom Collomosse 21:56 25 Oct 2024, updated 23:02 25 Oct 2024 Comments Comments Who could blame Evangelos Marinakis if he concluded an enjoyable evening by puffing on a celebratory Cuban. The

By Tom Collomosse 21:56 25 Oct 2024, updated 23:02 25 Oct 2024

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Who could blame Evangelos Marinakis if he concluded an enjoyable evening by puffing on a celebratory Cuban.

The Nottingham Forest owner is currently banned from Premier League stadiums after it was decided he had spat deliberately on the floor as the officials walked past after Forest had been beaten at home by Fulham. Marinakis’ defence – that he had a hacking cough brought on partly by his penchant for cigars – did not wash with the independent panel.

Forest have appealed and this result will make Marinakis feel a whole lot better. His club are fifth in the Premier League tonight and to make it all the sweeter, they defeated a Leicester side now managed by Steve Cooper.

Cooper led Forest back to the top flight for the first time this century and is one of their best-loved managers since Brian Clough. Whether Marinakis and Cooper feel that way about each other is open to debate. Leicester fans are certainly not yet convinced by Cooper and there were some boos at full-time.

Leicester had their moments here but Forest looked a more powerful, more accomplished side. They took the lead through Ryan Yates and even though Jamie Vardy had Cooper’s men level by half-time, the Foxes made too many basic errors and Chris Wood took advantage. Forest’s centre-forward scored twice after the restart and the visiting fans piled on the agony by chanting Cooper’s name.

Nuno Espirito Santo was serving the second game of a three-match ban while Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was two matches into a five-games stadium penalty.

Leicester (4-2-3-1): Hermansen 8; Pereira 5.5 (El Khannouss 68, 6), Faes 5, Okoli 5.5, Justin 5.5; Winks 6.5, Ndidi 6.5 (Soumare 74, 6); Fatawu 6.5, Buonanotte 7, Mavididi 5 (Ayew 68, 6); Vardy 6.5.

Scorers: Vardy 23

Booked: Pereira, Mavididi, Winks, Ayew

Manager: Steve Cooper 6.5

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels 6; *AINA 8.5*, Milenkovic 6.5, Murillo 7, Moreno 6 (Morato 72, 6); Yates 7, Dominguez 7.5; Elanga 7 (Jota 76, 6), Anderson 7 (Williams 72, 6), Hudson-Odoi 7 (Sosa 76, 6); Wood 7.5 (Awoniyi 81).

Scorers: Yates 16, Wood 47, 60

Booked: Moreno, Dominguez, Milenkovic

Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 7

Referee: Craig Pawson 6

Forest fans let the Premier League know exactly what they thought of these punishments by bellowing their fury at the governing body in the moments before kick-off.

Looking to build on recent momentum, Cooper picked a very attacking team and the Foxes sought to play in Forest’s half. Facundo Buonanotte’s shot from outside the box clipped Murillo and flew wide for a corner. Wilfred Ndidi headed Vardy’s cross too high as Leicester pressed on.

Yet just as they were finding a nice tempo, Leicester fell behind. Trying to dribble out of his own area, Buonanotte was dispossessed and when Elliot Anderson’s shot was blocked into the path of James Justin, he cleared only as far as Yates. Yates’ aim from 25 yards was true and beat Hermansen’s dive, finding the bottom corner.

To their credit, Leicester kept playing, with Buonanotte, Harry Winks and the recalled Ricardo Pereira forming a creative triangle in the middle. Winks took a pass from Pereira and burst forward, eventually regaining the ball deep inside Forest territory. When he drilled across goal, Vardy had drifted between Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo and a stretch of his right boot diverted the ball home.

Then Hermansen took over. His save from Nicolas Dominguez, who blasted the ball goalwards from point-blank range, was one of the best of the season. No wonder the Dane celebrated like a forward, or that several team-mates rushed to congratulate him.

Not content with that, Hermansen did well to push away a bouncing ball and turn away a cross from the dangerous Anthony Elanga. Leicester looked vulnerable to Forest’s rapid counter-attacks and needed Hermansen to rescue them again when Callum Hudson-Odoi drifted inside from the left and let fly.

Back came Leicester. Super skill from Buonanotte provided a headed chance for Stephy Mavididi that he failed to take. In first-half stoppage time, Mavididi nearly made amends with a swerving effort from 20 yards.

Just before the second half started, Leicester substitute Conor Coady was spotted talking animatedly to Cooper on the touchline. Perhaps he was discussing the mistakes that had made Leicester look so fragile at times.

Sadly for the home side, another followed barely 100 seconds after the restart. Winks lazy pass caught Abdul Fatawu on his heels and was intercepted by Alex Moreno. Then when Anderson found Wood, Caleb Okoli gave Forest’s top scorer far too much room to turn and fire into the corner from 15 yards.

Leicester demanded a penalty soon afterwards for a slight tug by Milenkovic on Vardy but their pleas were ignored.

Forest should have wrapped it up when, after another Leicester move foundered on halfway, Hudson-Odoi hit the post and Anderson put the rebound wide from 18 yards.

The visitors did not have to wait long to make the game safe, though. Matz Sels punted the ball forward and after more buffoonery at the back from Leicester, Wood waited for Wout Faes’ attempted header to Hermansen and calmly guided the ball over the Leicester keeper for the clincher.

It could have been even worse for the home side when, after more uncertain defending at a corner, Yates skied one from three yards.

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