Nottingham Forest picked up a huge three points in their quest for Premier League survival after beating already relegated Sheffield United 3-1 at Bramall Lane. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice with Ryan Yates also scoring for the Reds after Ben Brereton Diaz put the home side ahead.
Chris Wilder made one change from the side that lost 5-1 at Newcastle United, which confirmed their relegation. Mason Holgate came out the side with former Red Jack Robinson replacing him. He was one of four former Forest players in the Blades side along with Brereton Diaz, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Ben Osborn. Nuno Espírito Santo made two changes from the defeat to Manchester City. Neco Williams dropped out through injury and was replaced by Gonzalo Montiel with Yates also coming in for Moussa Niakhate. Nuno switching back to his favoured back four formation.
The home side were awarded a penalty 17 minutes into the game as Montiel brought down Brereton Diaz as he entered the box. The man who won it took it and scored past Matz Sels to put the Blades 1-0 up against his former side. The striker, on loan from Spanish side Villareal, came through the youth ranks at Forest and left in 2019 for Blackburn Rovers.
Forest found a leveller though. Danilo playing the ball to Hudson-Odoi on the left side and he cut in on his right foot and found the top corner with his trademark move. A big goal for Forest with Hudson-Odoi getting another goal from cutting in onto his right foot.
The Yorkshire side came close to scoring again as Cameron Archer skipped past Willy Boly and went one on one with Sels but was brilliantly denied by the goalkeeper.
Sels was brought into action again when Gustavo Hamer shot from outside the box but the Belgian international was able to tip over the bar. Sels keeping Forest in the game after pulling off some important saves.
The away side did have a chance of their own when former blade Morgan Gibbs-White sent a cross in from the right which Chris Wood met but his header hit the crossbar. A big chance going begging for Wood again with another game where a chance he missed should have gone in.
That was it for the first half with the sides going in level. The home side probably the better of the two with them creating the most chances. Forest really struggling against the bottom of the table side in one of their most important games of the season. A big second half was needed if they wanted to build a gap on Luton Town and Burnley.
Forest then took the lead in the second half. A Gibbs-White free kick floated into the box and was eventually headed down by Boly and smashed home by Yates. A first ever Premier League goal for the midfielder who is the only remaining Forest player from the promotion winning side of 2022. A special moment for him and a huge goal for Forest.
The visitors then netted their third and it was Hudson-Odoi again. In similar fashion to his first, he cut in from the left and found the far corner to net his seventh goal of the season. Blades struggled to deal with the former Chelsea man who was causing them so many issues.
The host’s afternoon then got worse as Ahmedhodzic received a second yellow card for a foul on substitute Nicolas Dominguez as they finished the game with just ten men.
That was the final action of the game as Forest pick up a massive victory. Sheffield United losing after going in front again after their loss in Newcastle and will be ending the season poorly after a miserable campaign. Wilder’s men travel to Everton for their penultimate game of the season. A brilliant afternoon for Forest who pick up a big win on the relegation battle. The Reds remain 17th and sit five points clear of Burnley and three points clear of Luton with Chelsea at home being their next game where they will look to confirm their Premier League status for next season.
