A confidence-boosting midweek victory in the UEFA Champions League against Atlético Madrid looked to have set Tottenham Hotspur up perfectly for a crucial Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The visitors began the match just one place and one point behind Spurs in the table, with both sides hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.

With West Ham United, who sat third from bottom, playing Aston Villa at the same time, the final relegation position would only be confirmed at full-time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite their European success, Spurs came into the game on a poor domestic run, having failed to win in their last 12 league matches. Forest, meanwhile, were also struggling for form, winless in seven games, but had enjoyed recent dominance in this fixture.

Nottingham Forest had won the previous three meetings, including a convincing 3-0 victory at the City Ground last time out, conceding just once across those encounters.

After a difficult start to his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, the midweek victory over Atlético Madrid, followed by a hard-fought draw against Liverpool at Anfield, hinted that Igor Tudor may have begun to steady the ship.

Even so, the Croatian was fully aware of the significance of this fixture, with three points against Nottingham Forest crucial in the battle near the bottom of the table.

Tottenham started on the front foot, pushing forward early on, but lacked sharpness in the final third. Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Pape Matar Sarr all had opportunities, yet none were able to hit the target.

Forest, meanwhile, were content to stay patient and look for openings, particularly down the left flank. Djed Spence was heavily involved defensively, attempting four tackles within the opening half-hour — more than any other player — but managing to complete just one, an early indication of the challenges to come.

Kevin Danso and Cristian Romero were kept busy as they worked tirelessly to contain Nottingham Forest’s attacking threat. Danso, in particular, impressed with his physical presence, winning 13 of his 18 one-on-one duels — a key factor in delaying the breakthrough until the closing moments of the first half.

When the goal finally came, however, it was far too easy. Igor Jesus, who had earlier forced a save to win a corner, was left completely unmarked at the back post and made no mistake, heading home unchallenged.

The goal only deepened the concerns for Tottenham Hotspur. Heading into the match, they had failed to win any of their previous 10 home games in the league when conceding first (three draws, seven defeats), while Forest had remained unbeaten whenever they opened the scoring (five wins, two draws).

Adding to their struggles, Spurs’ defensive lapse continued a worrying trend — it was the 18th goal they had conceded in the final 15 minutes of the first half this season, the worst record in the Premier League in 2025/26. The statistic highlighted a recurring issue of losing focus as the interval approached, leaving the home crowd frustrated heading into half-time.

Tottenham Hotspur managed their first shot on target only in stoppage time of the first half, but the reaction from the home supporters told its own story, with loud boos echoing around the stadium as the players headed down the tunnel.

Igor Tudor responded by making a double substitution at the break, yet his side continued to struggle for rhythm and intensity for much of the second half.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, remained patient and disciplined, waiting for opportunities to exploit Tottenham’s weaknesses.

Archie Gray, usually one of Spurs’ more creative outlets, endured a difficult outing, failing to find consistency in possession and finishing with a modest 77.6% pass completion rate — among the lowest on the pitch.

Richarlison struggled even more, completing just five of his 10 attempted passes, resulting in a 50% accuracy that summed up Tottenham’s lack of quality in the final third.

Richarlison was effectively nullified, largely due to an outstanding defensive display from Murillo and Nikola Milenković, with both defenders winning 100% of their tackles.

They were well supported in midfield by Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangaré, who combined for 10 tackles and were heavily involved physically, contesting a total of 37 one-on-one duels between them.

In attack, Omari Hutchinson proved a constant threat to Tottenham Hotspur, completing four of his seven dribbles and winning eight of his 13 duels, causing persistent problems for the home defence.

Once again, Spurs appeared to lack urgency and fight — a worrying sign in what was effectively a relegation six-pointer, where intensity is non-negotiable.

As the game approached the hour mark, the North London side attempted to raise the tempo with a series of attacks, but their efforts lacked precision and failed to trouble the goalkeeper.

They were soon punished for that inefficiency. Callum Hudson-Odoi advanced unchallenged from the flank and delivered a cut-back into the box, where Morgan Gibbs-White was left completely unmarked near the penalty spot, with no Spurs player close enough to intervene.

Guglielmo Vicario managed to get a touch on the effort from Nottingham Forest’s forward, but was unable to keep it out, as the ball still found the net. The goal was followed by a stunned silence around the stadium, reflecting the growing frustration among the home fans.

With 25 minutes remaining, Igor Tudor made a double substitution, bringing on Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani in place of Richarlison and Mathys Tel. However, the changes had little impact, with the two substitutes managing just a single touch inside the Forest penalty area during their time on the pitch.

Despite enjoying nearly 75% possession in the closing stages, Tottenham Hotspur failed to create any meaningful chances or seriously threaten the opposition goal.

Taiwo Awoniyi eventually put the result beyond doubt, adding a third goal late on — a strike that fully reflected Forest’s superiority on the day and marked the first time they had scored three goals in a match since their previous meeting with Spurs.

Dominic Solanke managed two late efforts on target in the final minute, but neither troubled Matz Sels as Nottingham Forest comfortably saw out the match.

A 13th consecutive game without a win marks the worst run in Premier League history for Tottenham Hotspur, a statistic that will deeply concern Igor Tudor and Spurs supporters alike.

Perhaps most frustrating for Tottenham is that, despite the result, several underlying performance metrics suggested they were not entirely outplayed — yet once again, they failed to turn any advantage into meaningful output in either box.

Tottenham Hotspur recorded more passes, more possession, a higher pass accuracy, and also led in crosses and dribbles, yet ultimately fell short where it mattered most.

Despite those advantages, they were second best in defensive metrics, losing out in tackles won and interceptions, highlighting a lack of control and intensity without the ball.

When the match demanded grit and resilience, Spurs were unable to respond, with a worrying absence of fight in key moments.

Looking ahead, they now risk dropping into the bottom three after the next round of fixtures. That scenario could become reality if West Ham United beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at the London Stadium, and Spurs fail to win against Sunderland A.F.C. at the Stadium of Light two days later.