Morgan Gibbs-White was the difference, as Nottingham Forest beat Burnley 4-1 at the City Ground — his second-half hat-trick dragging the Reds towards Premier League safety after a momentous week. George Edwards was at the match
For Nottingham Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White is the one.
As a non-big-six Premier League side, it’s hard to have superstars that are head and shoulders above their teammates, and it’s even harder to keep hold of them for season after season.
Forest do have their fair share — Elliot Anderson’s season has him as an England mainstay, Murillo has been rumoured with moves to Liverpool and Real Madrid, and the lack of goals in Chris Wood’s absence has proved his worth.
But time and again, when they need somebody to be the difference, there’s only one man that steps forward.
In the nearly four seasons he’s worn Forest’s number 10 shirt, Gibbs-White has been at the centre of everything they have done.
He’s made more appearances than anyone else. He’s had more goal involvements than anyone else. He’s been the one constant, and as managers, players and style of football have changed around him, his impact has remained consistent.
It’s not just his ability that makes him standout, it’s his spirit and character to rise at any moment and never be silenced, as his spectacular match-winning hat-trick against Burnley exhibited.
An hour in, Gibbs-White wasn’t having the best of it, and neither were Forest. Despite feeling relatively on top throughout, Forest had only mustered five shots – none on target – and had fallen behind to Burnley’s only open-play shot of the game, as Zian Fleming notched on the verge of half time.
Gibbs-White was at the centre of the Reds’ frustrations, frequently being dispossessed and missing a massive chance from five yards out minutes into the second half, after being shifted out to the left wing at half time.
But as palpable nerves and resignation began to engulf much of the City Ground, he found a way to influence and drag his side over the line.
After several hoists into the box with no cigar, Nikola Milenkovic’s nod forward found its way to the feet of Gibbs-White, who had the nous to anticipate, ability to control and composure to slot past Martin Dubravka from the corner of the six-yard box, two minutes past the hour.
Forest just needed a goal to kick them into life.
After nearly conceding straight from the resulting kick-off, the Reds suddenly broke forward with force and intensity, scoring again seven minutes later as Gibbs-White steered home Omari Hutchinson’s ball in first time, from almost the same spot that he grabbed his first.
The difference in the goals proved how the Reds were suddenly sparked into life. Their first was scrappy while the second stemmed from quick passing and movement from midfield to attack.
A first career hat-trick was secured by Gibbs-White with 13 minutes to play, rising to nod home from the penalty spot after a wicked Ryan Yates cross from the right touchline, racing away towards the Brain Clough Stand with three fingers aloft and a beaming, grinning smile.
In July, owner Evangelos Marinakis flew out to Forest’s pre-season camp in Portugal amidst Gibbs-White reportedly agreeing to a move to Tottenham Hotspur in order to convince the midfielder to stay put.
Within hours, Gibbs-White penned a new three-year contract and conducted a pitch side interview with Marinakis. The Greek’s antics were unusual, especially for a current Premier League owner, but the vigour Marinakis fought with to keep Gibbs-White has been proven this season.
Fifteen goals this season marks Gibbs-White’s best in the Garibaldi, and his hat-trick today came after playing the full 90 minutes on Thursday, as Forest beat Porto to secure a Europa League semi-final place — and after appearing in each of Forest’s 33 league games so far this season.
And amongst England’s number 10 options, in 2026 Gibbs-White has scored 11 goals where Phil Foden has none, Eberechi Eze has four and Cole Palmer has six.
With the World Cup just two months away, he is doing all he can to work his way into Thomas Tuchel’s thinking after being omitted from England’s latest squad for their March internationals.
His goals today, plus a fourth in the 98th minute as Igor Jesus ran clear of Burnley’s defence to slot home, saw Forest sail five points above the relegation zone — Gibbs-White ironically heightening Tottenham’s relegation woes, who sit in 18th.
The win represents a run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions, two back-to-back home wins for only the second time this season and a first home league win since December. It was also Vitor Pereira’s first league win on home turf, now with eight points from Forest’s last four PL games.
The 57-year-old’s half-time introduction of Jesus, seeing the Brazilian operate in behind Chris Wood and shifting Gibbs-White out wide, unlocked a new side of his game, able to drop deep and link up with midfield without the necessity to be in the box simultaneously.
It allowed Jesus to play his more natural game and created more uncertainty about Gibbs-White’s positioning, generating more space in the midfield for his teammates and allowing him to sneak into goalscoring areas.
Pereira has found a way to get Forest scoring while retaining their defensive resolve, scoring 12 in their last six games whilst only conceding four and generating consistent output from his entire squad.
The past week felt defining. Three home games that could have secured a semi-final and made Premier League safety look close, or that could have ruptured both fronts. A draw and two wins later, Forest have made the City Ground seem like home again.
Three points in a relegation battle is massive. Wins are hard to come by, and their impact is always reflected in the table. In their first two years in the PL this century, Forest amassed 38 and 32 points respectively, both enough to secure survival after battling against the drop for the most part.
Their current total of 36 now looks healthy, especially with five games still to play, and their confidence is at the highest it has been all season.
Forest’s survival is far from secured, but if they do beat the drop, while Pereira’s growing influence will be paramount, the defining moments Morgan Gibbs-White continues to provide will almost certainly be why.
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