LONDON: Nottingham Forest clinched promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years with a 1-0 win against Huddersfield in the Championship play-off final on Sunday.
Levi Colwill’s own goal late in the first half at Wembley was enough for Steve Cooper’s side to hit the jackpot in the most lucrative single match in world football.
Promotion to the top-flight is estimated to be worth at least £170 million ($214 million) in increased revenue.
Forest will gratefully accept the huge financial windfall, but it was the relief at ending their long exile from English football’s elite that spurred the frenzied scenes of celebration among their thousands of red and white-clad fans.
For the first time in the 21st century, Forest can look forward to welcoming the Premier League’s elite to their City Ground stadium on the banks of the River Trent.
The promotion was a personal triumph for Cooper, who has revitalized Forest since replacing the sacked Chris Hughton in September
Forest were bottom of the table after taking one point from their first seven games, but Cooper had the midas touch as he erased the bitter taste of his defeat with Swansea in last year’s Championship play-off final against Brentford.
“I’m really pleased for the players and the supporters. Everybody connected with the football club deserves this today and we’re now really looking forward to a positive future,” Cooper said.
“It’s relief and pride. This isn’t about me but it’s changed my life, potentially anyway.
“We’ve brought Nottingham to Wembley today, we’ve taken over the place and here we are in the Premier League.”
Cooper repaired the wounds of Forest’s worst start to a season for 108 years and ensured they remained focus after losing a shot at automatic promotion in their penultimate game of the season against top-two rivals Bournemouth.
Fourth placed Forest beat Sheffield United on penalties in the play-off semifinal and held their nerve again to earn the ultimate prize against Huddersfield.
Having knocked Arsenal and Leicester out of this season’s FA Cup before losing narrowly to Liverpool, Forest’s sleeping giants have awoken from their slumber at last.
Forest’s golden period came under legendary boss Brian Clough, who led them to the English title in 1978 and won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980.
Clough’s retirement in 1993 triggered a steep decline in Forest’s fortunes, with their wilderness years featuring a three-season spell in the third tier.
Forest had been regular visitors to Wembley during Clough’s heyday but this was their first appearance at the national stadium since 1992.
No wonder the Forest supporters in the 80,000 crowd were in fine voice from the moment Ryan Yates headed James Garner’s free-kick wastefully wide from six yards.
Forest were the better side in a frantic encounter, but there was more perspiration than inspiration for long periods as passes went astray from both teams.
Driven forward by on-loan Manchester United midfielder Garner, Forest broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute.
Garner whipped a dangerous inswinging cross into the Huddersfield area and Colwill inadvertently deflected it into his own net as the on-loan Chelsea defender tried to get to the ball before Yates.
Rocked by that blow, Huddersfield finally raised their tempo after half-time and Jonathan Hogg should have done better with a header that failed to hit the target from a corner.
The decisive moment came in the 73rd minute when Huddersfield were left fuming after being denied a strong penalty claim.
Harry Toffolo went down under a challenge from Jack Colback but referee Jon Moss booked the Huddersfield wing-back for diving and VAR refused to overturn the decision.
Huddersfield’s frustration increased when another penalty appeal was rejected after Max Lowe bundled into Lewis O’Brien.
Forest’s nerves frayed when Samba limped off injured in the final minutes, but the Reds held on to earn their return to the big time.
Forest promoted to Premier League for first time in 23 years
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Forest promoted to Premier League for first time in 23 years
- Levi Colwill’s own goal, late in the first half at Wembley, was enough for Steve Cooper’s side to hit the jackpot in the most lucrative match in world football
- For the first time in the 21st century, Forest can look forward to welcoming the EPL’s elite to the City Ground stadium on the banks of the River Trent
Arsenal go nine points clear, Man Utd win again under Carrick
- Arsenal have 56 points from 25 games with Manchester City, who face Liverpool away on Sunday
- Manchester United are on 44 points after their 2-0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur
LONDON: Arsenal marched nine points clear in the Premier League title race as Viktor Gyokeres hit two in a 3-0 home defeat of Sunderland and Manchester United made it four wins out of four for caretaker manager Michael Carrick to maintain their top-four push on Saturday.
Third-placed Aston Villa dropped further behind Arsenal as they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer bagged a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, including two penalties.
Eighteenth-placed West Ham United earned three vital points in their bid to avoid relegation, Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos sealing a 2-0 win at second-from-bottom Burnley whose survival hopes now look remote.
Everton scored two late goals as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Fulham, the win lifting them to seventh.
The celebrations at the final whistle at The Emirates were loud and long as joyous Arsenal fans displayed their belief that a first title since 2004 is now in sight.
Sunderland proved a tough nut to crack but Arsenal remained patient and were rewarded with a fourth successive victory in all competitions.
Arsenal dominated the first half but had to wait until the 42nd minute to get ahead when Martin Zubimendi’s sweetly-struck low drive crept inside the post.
Gyokeres has struggled at times during his first season in north London since his move from Sporting, but he swept in a clinical finish in the 66th minute to make it 2-0.
Gabriel Martinelli then played in the Swede for his second deep into stoppage time.
No Premier League player has scored more goals across all competitions since the turn of the year than Gyokeres (six) and Arteta praised the Swedish striker’s resilience.
“He doesn’t seem too affected by the real highs or the lows and that’s what we need — stability. He’s very demanding of himself. He’s constantly trying to improve,” Arteta said.
Arsenal have 56 points from 25 games with Manchester City, who face Liverpool away on Sunday, on 47 from 24. Villa also have 24 points but their challenge is fading.
ROMERO SENDING OFF HELPS MAN UTD
Manchester United are on 44 points after their 2-0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur who played three quarters of the game with 10 men after captain Cristian Romero was sent off for a tackle on Casemiro.
Bryan Mbeumo put United in front 10 minutes after Romero’s dismissal, applying the final touch to a clever corner routine involving Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
Fernandes wrapped up the points in the 81st minute.
While Carrick’s resurgent United are well-placed for a return to the Champions League, Tottenham are slipping too close to the relegation zone for comfort after their run without a league win extended to seven.
They have 29 points in 14th place, six ahead of West Ham who are in the last relegation place. Villa, who could have gone second, took the lead in the 22nd minute at Bournemouth when Morgan Rogers linked up with Jadon Sancho before powering a shot high into the net. The hosts earned their 10th league draw of the season though as Brazilian teenager Rayan scored his first goal in English football. Chelsea’s Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks in the first half of a match, having also done it against Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion. He now also has more Premier League hat-tricks than any other Chelsea player, after grabbing a fourth.
Palmer put Chelsea ahead from the spot in the 13th minute after a foul on Joao Pedro and repeated the trick in the 35th minute after another foul on the same teammate.
Palmer’s hat-tick came as he fired home from Marc Cucurella’s pass. New manager Liam Rosenior has now won four successive league games with his side bouncing back from their League Cup semifinal defeat by Arsenal on Tuesday.
Chelsea are fifth with 43 points, four points above champions Liverpool in sixth.
At the bottom, Wolves and Burnley look doomed to relegation with eight and 15 points respectively but West Ham are now only three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
