New Zealander Chris Wood continued his impressive start to the season, scoring his eighth goal to lead Nottingham Forest to a 3-0 victory over West Ham at the City Ground.
Forest, who entered the game as one of the Premier League’s most in-form teams, showed their quality with Wood’s unmarked header from an Alex Moreno cross in the first half. West Ham, despite fielding three center-backs under manager Julen Lopetegui, couldn’t contain Wood, whose goal has propelled Forest to their best form in years. The visitors’ chances were further hindered when Edson Alvarez received a second yellow card just before halftime for a challenge on Anthony Elanga.
In the second half, Forest doubled their lead as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross slipped past Lukasz Fabianski, and Ola Aina sealed the victory with a stunning strike from outside the box. West Ham’s late attempts to come back were thwarted by Fabianski’s saves and an offside flag on Ryan Yates’ goal attempt. Forest’s third consecutive win has lifted them to third place in the league standings, just a point above Arsenal.
Wood, with eight goals, is second only to Erling Haaland in the Premier League scoring charts. Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised Wood’s work ethic, remarking that the club is pleased with his contributions both on and off the field, as they hope his form will help them avoid a relegation battle this season.
