“Forest are back” echoed around the City Ground as the minutes ticked away, and these are certainly exciting times on the banks of the River Trent.
Nottingham Forest are in the Premier League’s top four for the first time since August 1998, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United specks in their wing-mirrors, albeit for the moment.
Forest are being propelled by a tidal wave of momentum and here was another performance which underlines their evolution since promotion in May 2022.
Nuno Espirito Santo is driving the feel-good factor after assembling a squad with a combination of high potential and youthful exuberance, with a forward in Chris Wood who cannot stop scoring. Wood added his eighth goal of the season here, to move ahead of Stan Collymore with 23 scored for the club in the Premier League. Only Bryan Roy has more with 24.
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina added the second-half goals, the latter with a magnificent strike, to secure a third Premier League win in a row for the first time since May 1999.
There were even chants of European tours, though most fans will gladly settle for not enduring another relegation battle.
Let’s be clear: West Ham were dreadful, sustaining the dismissal of Edson Alvarez in first-half injury time and appearing defensively vulnerable whenever Forest advanced.
Julen Lopetegui, the manager, patrolled his technical area for most of the afternoon like an angered cat and he cannot afford many more awful displays like this.
Yet take nothing away from Forest, who produced another excellent performance to raise the question of what could be achieved this season.
Nuno watched the game from the stands for the final match of his touchline ban and said: “We are in a really good moment but nothing has been achieved yet and football doesn’t forgive you.
“Where we are in the table doesn’t mean anything and we have to keep going.
“I can’t think about this game for too long as I’m already thinking about Newcastle next week.”
Less than a week after victory over Manchester United, West Ham were poor, devoid of threat and frequently chased out of possession by Forest’s intense pressing.
Alvarez was sent off for the second time this season after a second bookable offence, a foul on Anthony Elanga, and his embarrassment as he left the field rather summed up West Ham’s aimless performance.
The Mexican walked past the tunnel and was striding towards the corner of the ground before being informed he was heading in the wrong direction.
Lopetegui’s 10 men were blown away in the second half and Forest could have been savouring an even more comfortable scoreline.
“It was a hard night and the red card was a key moment which made it a different match,” said Lopetegui.
“We have to use this bad moment to push us forward for the next challenge. We have to compete better and be consistent. It is a time to stick together.”
Wood struck after 28 minutes and it was another textbook header from the Kiwi, nodding home Alex Moreno’s cross.
West Ham did produce their only goalscoring chance of the match in first-half injury time but Lucas Paqueta’s half-volley was cleared off the line by Wood.
Forest increased their lead in the 62nd minute with a goal from Hudson-Odoi which West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will not want to watch again.
Aina added a third by crashing a shot in from 20 yards to spark a mass exodus of West Ham fans.
This was their first league match outside of London this season and one to forget. Forest, however, are flying.
