Everton's Clinical Demolition Exposes Forest's Defensive Fragility

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 37/100. This wasn't a contest—it was a statement from Everton that they belong in the upper echelon, leaving Nottingham Forest adrift in the relegation battle.

Chaos From the Opening Whistle

The match was decided before most fans had settled into their seats. N. Milenkovic's own goal in the second minute handed Everton an early gift, but what followed was no accident—it was intensity personified. The Toffees suffocated their visitors with relentless pressing, turning Goodison Park into a fortress where Forest's possession (58%) became a liability rather than an asset. When you can't convert territory into chances, you're simply delaying the inevitable.

Barry's Brilliance Seals the Rout

T. Barry doubled the lead at the stroke of halftime with clinical finishing, assisted by I. Ndiaye's intelligent buildup play. The timing was devastating—Forest had no time to regroup. By the 80th minute, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealed the rout with a composed finish, set up by J. O'Brien, reducing the balance to a complete one-way traffic jam. Forest registered just three shots on target across 90 minutes—a damning indictment of their attacking impotence.

The Narrative Shift

This victory propels Everton into genuine top-four conversation. Five wins in their last six matches (WWLWW form) shows a team hitting its stride at precisely the right moment. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest sit 16th with a -11 goal differential—a chasm that grows wider with every performance like this. Their defensive vulnerabilities, exposed ruthlessly today, are now the defining feature of their season.