Wolverhampton Wanderers scored their first goal in three and a half games as they beat bottom of the table Nottingham Forest in a game where neither side had the attacking prowess to entertain the crowd.
In a very predictable game Wolves yet again played great football but failed to have a clinical edge to take the game to their opposition.
Steve Cooper’s side were lucky to have only conceded one goal after being repeatedly let off by a team struggling for goals.
After 56 minutes Ruben Neves scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after Adama Traore was allowed to run inside unchallenged.
Despite his shot going wide it was deflected off the hand of Harry Toffolo for a penalty.
Forest did have a chance to get back into the game as in the 79th minute a corner came in and Matheus Nunes fouled Ryan Yates in the box and then Traore handballed the in-swinging ball leading to the penalty.
However, Brennan Johnson, after an age of VAR checks, could not beat Jose Sa despite him having a fractured wrist.
It is a huge win for Wolves and their first since September 3rd but for Forest it is their 8th successive defeat leaving them bottom of the league on five points from ten games.
Here are the player ratings from the Midlands clash:
Wolves
Jose Sa - 8/10
The Wolves keeper had little to do throughout the majority of the game but when called upon to save Johnson’s penalty he did so despite having broken his wrist in August.
Rayan Ait Nouri - 6.5/10
Defensively, he did what little he needed to do quite well, limiting the Johnson threat throughout the game, but despite getting into good positions going forward, his final delivery into the box was usually lacklustre.
Toti Gomes - 6.5/10
He had very little to do all game as the Forest attack did not ask many questions of the Wolves back line but he was solid when needed to be.
Max Kilman - 6.5/10
A very similar game to Gomes, when he needed to defend he did his job very well.
Jonny Castro - 6/10
A very similar game to Ait Nouri - was defensively solid but going forward he was not great and his French team mate often took up better positions when attacking.
Joao Moutinho - 7/10
Often the Wolves midfield dominated their Midlands rivals, not allowing them any time to get into the game and the 36-year-old was a big part of that.
Ruben Neves - 8/10
His press in the midfield to close down The Reds was sensational and he scored the all-important and only goal of the game giving his side a crucial three points to put them four points above their opposition.
Matheus Nunes - 6/10
He had an average game, created some decent chances at points but did give away the penalty by fouling Ryan Yates with a huge drag to pull his opponent down, so he was lucky Sa saved his blushes.
Daniel Podence - 5.5/10
When on the ball he looks like a very skilful player but failed to create any big chances and had a minimal impact on the game.
Adama Traore - 7/10
He was never closed down on the right hand side and was able to get into great positions. He bullied many players with his driving runs and was the reasons his side got their penalty and subsequent goal but his final delivery into the box was inconsistent.
Diego Costa - 5.5/10
Failed to have an impact on the game and did not seem hugely ready to start. His main chance was missing an open goal but luckily for him due to his poor positioning he was offside.
Substitutes:
Boubacar Traore - N/A
Hee-Chan Hwang - N/A
Nelson Semedo - N/A
Joseph Hodge - N/A
Hugo Bueno - N/A
Nottingham Forest:
Dean Henderson - 6/10
Had little to do all game and the penalty he conceded, despite going the right way, was unsalable from Neves.
Harry Toffolo - 3/10
He gave away a needless penalty by hand balling Traore’s shot that was going wide. Furthermore, he gave the Spanish winger acres of room to attack the right hand side throughout the game.
Scott McKenna - 6/10
He was good at keeping Costa quiet in the game but the whole Forest team was lucky that Wolves are not clinical, as if they were the score line could have been a lot worse for The Reds.
Steve Cook - 6/10
Very similar to his centre back pair, he was okay but also lucky the home side struggle to score.
Neco Williams - 6/10
He had an okay game and did well to keep Podence quiet through most of the game.
Cheikhou Kouyate - 5/10
Was dominated in the midfield at first but grew into the game and was good at heading balls out the box, however he is one of the players who allowed Traore to run inside leading to the penalty.
Reno Freuler - 5/10
Had an average and unremarkable game in the centre of midfield.
Ryan Yates - 6/10
Was Forest’s best midfielder and got better as the game went on.
He was the man fouled due to his good run away from Nunes from a corner leading to the penalty.
However, he did miss a great chance in the 90th minute with a header that could have and probably should have been the equaliser - albeit an undeserved one.
Morgan Gibbs White - 4/10
Often the youngster tried too hard against his former club leading to him often being dispossessed and creating little.
He was never really a threat to the home team's defence.
Brennan Johnson - 4/10
Had little impact in the game and looked nervous due to the long wait before his penalty which he ultimately missed.
A day to forget for the Welshman.
Emmanuel Dennis - 4.5/10
He, like Costa, failed to have any impact in the game and in the first half his movement was poor.
He will need to find the form he had at Watford if he is to help Forest stay up with his goals.
Substitutes:
Jesse Lingard - 5/10
The attacker did not impact the game at all upon coming on.
Just like the rest of the Forest attackers, he never looked like scoring.
Orel Mangala - 5/10
Had a very similar game to the man he came on for, Kouyate, and his presence was not enough to help his team's midfield push for the equaliser.
Taiwo Awoniyi - N/A
Sam Surridge - N/A
