Goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi saw Nottingham Forest beat Brentford 2-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium — a welcome response to Thursday’s defeat in the Europa League. George Edwards was at the match
Nottingham Forest have never looked as much like a Sean Dyche side as they did in their trailblazing 2-0 victory against Brentford.
Since his arrival, Dyche has grappled with injuries and inconsistency but has still lifted Forest five points clear of the relegation zone, now with seven points from nine in the Premier League.
He hasn’t done everything right, and his football and style have a ceiling that doesn’t look to extend past this season, but as Forest claimed victory in West London, his side produced balance and brilliance in measures he has been waiting for since the new year.
It wasn’t pretty, like Forest’s opening-day home performance against the Bees was, but it was effective. The Reds were clinical, scoring in periods of play where they were on top with both of their shots on target and utterly nullified their host’s attacking potency.
Strikers stepping forward
In the absence of Chris Wood, Forest have faltered, losing the reliable fox-in-the-box that they had become so reliant on.
Wood had scored 12 goals at this stage last season in the Premier League; Igor Jesus’s goal at Wolves was the only scored by a Forest number nine in the league this season, since Wood’s brace in the reverse fixture.
Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca joined on loan on Friday but was registered too late to feature, giving Forest an option who, on paper, mirrors Wood’s threats, a natural finisher and good in the air, despite being starved of gametime and goals this season.
But just when Forest thought they had to look elsewhere, Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi awoke.
The Reds bossed the opening periods, driving forward down the left with desire and looking hungry to avenge the sour taste their midweek Europa League defeat at Braga had left. So often this season have Forest looked promising for a period but failed to make it count, but not this time…
Twelve minutes was all it took for them to gain a deserved lead, Jesus – who had already spurned a decent chance inside the box – plucking the ball out of the air, muscling Nathan Collins aside and smashing home from a tight angle on the swivel.
His growing fight up front hasn’t gone amiss, but his inability to consistently find goalscoring positions has held him back and forced Forest to strengthen, his second goal in three games signifying his desire to keep his place in Dyche’s strongest lineup.
Jesus was subbed for Awoniyi on 68 minutes, a change greeted by a collective groan from the away end – the Nigerian having gone 18 appearances without finding the back of the net.
But today was the day that barren run was to end, his 79th-minute goal securing the three points in clinical and emphatic style as he sprinted, controlled, dribbled past his man, darted into the penalty area, sat Michael Kayode down and netted from six yards out.
We haven’t seen him at his best for a while, but Taiwo’s still got it #nffc pic.twitter.com/OgidvYMudZ
— The Famous Club (@TheFamousCIub) January 25, 2026
Control, skill, pace, power and composure in the like we haven’t seen from the Nigerian since his goalscoring streak that kept Forest up in their first year back in the Premier League. His first goal since Exeter 11 months ago saw the away end erupt into rapturous celebration, in honour of both the scorer and the monumental result it secured.
Awoniyi looks set to be third choice as Lucca becomes available but has remained a fan favourite despite many accepting he falls short of the levels Forest need.
And while Awoniyi was written off, many had written Forest off after West Ham’s victory over Sunderland lifted them to within two points of catching them up. That goal and that moment reminded every member of the away end just why they continue to follow their team and that they are a football club never to be written off.
Clean sheet again
As the full-time whistle blew and congratulations began, a warm embrace between Forest’s reunited back four spoke volumes about how familiar and warming their second consecutive PL clean sheet was.
While Forest didn’t dominate the game in its entirety, they physically excelled throughout, not an easy task as an away side at the Gtech Community Stadium against a side who target aerial weakness.
From set plays Forest dominated, dealing with the Bees’ six corners and numerous long throws admirably, bar one moment of Matz Sels madness.
Up top, Brentford’s own Brazilian Igor, Thiago, had scored five goals in his last three games and is the league’s second top scorer behind the inevitable Erling Haaland.
But against Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic he lost almost every battle, spurning the game’s first chance after two minutes after beating the Serbian to a delicious Kevin Schade ball in from the left. From that point, Thiago painted a bewildered figure, amassing just 30 touches, five in the penalty area, despite Brentford’s 66% possession as Forest’s well-oiled defensive machine seemed back to its best.
In truth, the whole side was more familiar and recognisable, a starting XI with Jesus as the solitary summer signing. While the recent recruitment and Global Head of Football Edu’s role in that rightly continues to be seriously questioned, the core of Forest’s successes last term remain invested and produced the complete away performance.
A platform Forest must build on
Forest’s dismal displays against Wrexham and Braga have taken away from the promising work done by the Premier League team in that period.
It was crucial after a narrow and somewhat fortunate win at West Ham that Forest built on the seven-point gap they opened up and used that result as a springboard for change. Two clean sheets, two goals and four points have followed, that success diluted given their cup grievances in between.
Having lost Anthony Elanga and the tidal wave of positivity that drove them on for much of last season, Forest will never reach the fluid heights they climbed to last season. But they have distinct strengths and true character in their first XI and have picked up three credible results that should harden the belief that survival is achievable.
Forest have the chance to solidify that prospect over the coming weeks, with three defining games against Crystal Palace, Leeds and Wolves next on the agenda, giving them the perfect opportunity to lift themselves clear of danger and allow them to switch focus to saving their Europa League campaign, which they cannot do until their league status feels secure.
Three points are huge at the bottom of the table, both for positioning and morale. Beating Brentford doesn’t solve everything, but it was vital those visiting supporters were shown the respect they deserved with a battling performance in response to the mess that rightly infuriated them in Braga.
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