Nottingham Forest 2-2 Everton: The visitors were twice embroiled by the brilliant Brennan Johnson as Sean Dyche’s quest for a first away win as the Toffees boss continues
- Everton led twice but were forced to drop back to further plunge them into danger.
- Demarai Gray’s penalty gave the visitors the lead but Nottingham Forest equalized
- Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal on the half-hour put Everton back in the lead
Brennan Johnson produced a moment of class in a game that lacked class to deny Everton a win that would have knocked them out of the bottom three.
Nottingham Forest twice trailed Sean Dyche’s side, but salvaged an equalizer thanks to Johnson’s brilliantly guided finish from 15 yards.
It was Johnson’s second equaliser, with his first-half strike canceling out Demarai Gray’s opening goal from the penalty spot, though Abdoulaye Doucoure put Everton back in front before half time. Forest are four points above the relegation zone and unbeaten at home in nine games.
Everton again brought in center forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin and this time Dyche opted to leave his substitutes Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms on the bench.
So, as the lowest scorers in the league and without an orthodox striker, an early Everton goal seemed unlikely, but that was exactly what happened.
Brennan Johnson produced a moment of real quality to secure Nottingham Forest from a point
They had fallen behind twice, initially through Demarai Gray’s penalty and then Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Sean Dyche’s quest for a first away win as the Everton boss continues as they continue to languish at the bottom
Dyche’s men received help from former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, whose foolish tackle on Dwight McNeil led to the visitors taking a penalty. Gray converted it and the one-time Leicester player milked him by sliding to his knees in front of the Forest fans.
Forest was disjointed in the initial exchanges, but it didn’t take long for them to even up. Morgan Gibbs-White went one-two with Chris Wood and although Jordan Pickford saved the shot, he could only place it in the path of Johnson, who pushed in an equalizer.
Forest’s tails were up at this point and James Tarkowski did just enough to stop Wood headlong on Renan Lodi’s cross. At the other end, Everton screamed in vain for a second penalty as Seamus Coleman went down under pressure from Jack Colback.
However, his frustration did not last long. Just before half an hour, Tarkowski headed Pickford’s free-kick into the danger zone, where Michael Keane leaped past Joe Worrall. Remo Freuler forgot to follow Doucoure’s run, who guided his header past Keylor Navas. Forest was doubly angry that they had been denied a free kick when Gibbs-White denied them seconds earlier.
Having been under the cosh after the draw, Everton could have been further into half time. McNeil was allowed to slide in from the right and force Navas to topple, and Doucoure escaped to the left and found Gray unmarked, with Gibbs-White making a vital block.
There was a physical advantage throughout the game and it almost boiled over after the break. After a series of fierce challenges, Gibbs-White and McNeil had to be separated, both receiving yellow cards. Gray and Renan Lodi soon followed them to the book and then it was Doucoure and Jack Colback who clashed. Moments later, Tarkowski was lucky to pick up just one yellow for a late lunge that cleaned up Lodi.
Both sides will feel like they had plenty of chances to win the game on a tense afternoon.
Steve Cooper’s team has performed admirably after the World Cup and is likely to hold its own.
Everton’s midfield, including Amadou Onana, tried to frustrate the hosts for much of the afternoon.
Gray’s penalty made the difference after half an hour, until Johnson appeared with a crucial goal.
Everton’s time loss had started a long time ago, and it was surprising to see Gray holding the ball in the corner with a quarter of the game still to go.
Chances were few and far between and as Forest found itself three on three, Gibbs-White missed his pass to Johnson and Ben Godfrey made the interception.
Johnson had been the best spiker in the exhibition and he proved it again with a sumptuous class finisher to level Forest again with 13 minutes remaining. The Wales star brought the ball to Everton’s back four, exchanged passes with substitute Ryan Yates and calmly guided the ball into the top corner.
Forest boss Steve Cooper urged his players back to the halfway line and his side were finishing stronger, with Andre Ayew, another substitute, seeing a shot deflected by Pickford elude Johnson. Johnson then went for the hat-trick goal, but it went wide at corner.