- Gibbs-White broke the deadlock after Southampton failed to clear a set-piece
- The breakthrough was overdue with Forest having passed up several chances
To have 23 shots and only win 1-0 tells you something about both victors Nottingham Forest and defeated hosts Southampton.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s breakthrough on 70 minutes saw the visitors take advantage of the heavy pressure they built throughout at St Mary’s.
Forest were aided in large part by Southampton’s well-intentioned but ultimately detrimental insistence on playing out the back, particularly in the first half. Indeed, against a more clinical side they might have suffered a heavier defeat.
By 16 minutes, Forest should really have gone ahead, Ola Aina finding Chris Wood at the back post only for his header to be caught gratefully by Alex McCarthy.
The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession, but repeated turnovers prevented them from building any real momentum in a frustrating first half.
Nottingham Forest claimed all three points away from home to newly promoted Saints
Captain Morgan Gibbs-White scored the only goal and game winner in the 70th minute
‘We had a real good look at it, Jack Stephens’ job overloading the midfield and creating a box,’ admitted Espirito Santo.
‘We were able to control it, especially in the first half but it’s very difficult, they are a good team.’
The chances continued to come for Forest. Nikola Milenkovic missed the best of the bunch from a yard out, but by half-time it was still level.
Russell Martin made a proactive change at the break, with Will Smallbone and Joe Aribo pushing higher up. The Saints had more of a presence in attack, but it was in defence where the issue lay.
Despite an improved performance, the inevitable finally happened. Aribo was dispossessed on the edge of the box by Callum Hudson-Odoi on 70 minutes, the forward picking out his captain in the box, who finally converted inside the six-yard box at the second attempt.
Southampton showed signs of fight, enjoying plenty of possession
But failed to get the ball near their danger man Adam Armstrong
‘Ultimately we conceded from a rubbish set-piece,’ said Martin. ‘We gave them a corner, we had a chance to clear it but we didn’t. It’s not good enough after all the work we do on set-pieces so I’m annoyed at that.
‘We didn’t play well enough in the first half, there was a lot of tension in the team. We turned it over too much which meant there was tension in the stadium.
‘I think out of eagerness to make things happen, when we got into the final third we turned it over and against Forest that’s the worst thing you can do.’
By the time Southampton began to get the ball up the pitch quicker, it was too little, too late, and Forest held on for a sixth away win since their Premier League return.
