11 May 2025
Nott’m Forest 2 Leicester 2
Nott’m Forest have been in the top four for the majority of the season it seems, even before it was announced that the Premier League would be getting a fifth qualification spot. However, their form has really fallen off of late and they are in danger of missing out completely. They welcomed already relegated Leicester to the City Ground, on paper seeming a simple three points.
This match started with the usual ferocity of a derby but it was the hosts on the front foot. It was worked to Elanga out wide and he swung in a teasing cross to the far post. Wood had a completely free header but it sent it sailing over the bar. He caught it well enough but just could not keep his effort down or the hosts would have had an early lead.
The Foxes ventured forward as Thomas launched a long throw into the box. It was half-cleared by the hosts but Buonanotte drilled a shot at goal from the edge of the box. Sels got down to make a decent save but as it bounced back up off the turf, Coady reacted quickest to head home and give the visitors the lead. It was his maiden Premier League goal for Leicester, what a time to get it.
Thomas soon gave away a free-kick as he fouled Elanga out wide. The winger got to his feet to take it and put another sumptuous delivery into the box, where Gibbs-White rose to meet it with a header and get his team back on level terms. The Foxes’ lead in the game had last for a mere nine minutes, meaning we were back to square one in this match once again.
It was a first-half of few chances but as the ball was cut back to Dominguez in the box, he fired off a shot that needed a strong-handed save from Hermansen. It broke to an unmarked Wood but he could not adjust quickly enough as he sent his header sailing wide of the target. The two teams headed in at the break all square at the City Ground.
After the break, both sides seemed intent on winning this match. Aina played a neat pass to Gibbs-White who was finding pockets of space between midfield and defence. He spotted the run of Wood and put an inch-perfect pass over the top for him. The Kiwi striker threw himself at it to head home and give Nott’m Forest the lead for the first time in the game. The City Ground erupted.
This is the point where Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have thrived this season. Getting themselves ahead and then managing games well, ensuring they get the result they want. Having got their noses in front in this one, all they had to do now was to remain solid at the back. Against a Leicester side, not exactly full of goals this campaign, that should not be too much of an ask.
Then, with 81 minutes on the clock, the moment Forest fans had dreaded came. As the ball was played into Vardy, he neatly flicked it towards Buonanotte. The midfielder ran at the hosts’ defence and dribbled past Morato before side-footing it into the bottom corner to get The Foxes back on level terms. The City Ground fell silent apart the away end behind the goal, which a sea of blue.
Deep into the closing stages of the game, Elanga broke down the right flank. He looked miles offside but squared the ball into an area for Awoniyi to attack. The striker threw himself at it to try and score but narrowly sent it wide of the target. The striker went crashing into the post and injured himself in the process, only to then see the assistant’s flag raised.
This is the problem with these delayed decisions. In this instance the Forest striker had injured himself in a situation where the goal was never going to stand, had the flag gone up earlier, he would not have committed himself in such a way. PGMOL need to do something about this, it is endangering players unnecessarily.
Then as a Forest move broke down, Leicester countered with pace. Vardy could not fashion a shooting opportunity so laid it off into the path of Monga. He shot first-time but Sels made a great stop to deny the 15-year-old a winner in the derby. What a moment that would have been for the Leicester City youngster. Almost a dream goal for The Foxes.
The points were shared at the City Ground, which did Forest no favours at all. In fact, their Pavarotti-looking owner was on the pitch after the game giving Nuno Espirito Santo a piece of his mind for all to see. Embarrassing. This guy has about as much class as the green room of the Jeremy Kyle show. The Foxes meanwhile are now unbeaten in two games which should give them confidence.
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