WOLVERHAMPTON, England — Nottingham Forest secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in an away match on Monday, positioning themselves just six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The game featured first-half goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, along with a stoppage-time strike by Taiwo Awoniyi, enabling Forest to celebrate their sixth consecutive win in the league. As a result, they are now level on points with Arsenal, though they sit below them due to a lesser goal difference.

This match coincided with the 50th anniversary of Brian Clough’s appointment as manager at the City Ground, and it was undoubtedly a fitting tribute as Forest kicked off the game strongly, netting their first goal just six minutes in.

Gibbs-White, a former Wolves player, showcased his skills by linking up with Anthony Elanga during a counterattack and deftly placing the ball into the bottom corner from 14 meters out.

Both teams were eager to play an attacking brand of football, with Wolves gradually finding their rhythm. However, Norwegian striker Jørgen Strand Larsen failed to capitalize on a few clear opportunities. This miss proved costly as, just two minutes before the break, Wood struck again for Forest, extending their lead.

Wood scored his 12th goal of the season by finishing off a cutback from Callum Hudson-Odoi, marking his eighth goal in just 13 league matches against Wolves.

The second half saw Forest maintain their dominance, culminating in Awoniyi’s late goal in stoppage time, sealing the match at 3-0.

This outcome sets the stage for an exciting clash between the first and third positions in the league, as Forest prepares to host Liverpool on January 14.

The win also kept Forest’s ambitions of European competition alive. Wood commented on the team’s strong form, emphasizing the importance of consistency as they strive to achieve this goal for the first time since the 1990s.

“It’s all about maintaining our performance levels, which we’ve shown consistently this season,” Wood stated. “We cannot ease off as we move into the latter half of the season.”

For Wolverhampton, this loss marked the first defeat under newly appointed coach Vitor Pereira, leaving the team precariously positioned fourth from the bottom of the standings.

Defender Matt Doherty reflected on the match, expressing that the result could have easily swung in their favor. “It was one of those games where mistakes cost us dearly,” he remarked. “Teams will take advantage of any errors, and we made a few that led to our downfall.”