PREMIER LEAGUE
London, Nov 9: Nottingham Forest secured their first Premier League victory under new manager Sean Dyche, mounting a stirring comeback to beat Leeds United 3-1 in a tense relegation six-pointer at the City Ground.
Forest had fallen behind early when Brenden Aaronson found Lukas Nmecha, who slotted the ball neatly into the bottom corner. But Dyche’s men, who had not tasted victory in the league since his appointment, responded swiftly. Just over two minutes later, Ibrahima Sangaré levelled the scores after Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri parried Dan Ndoye’s cross straight into his path.
The turnaround was complete midway through the second half when captain Morgan Gibbs-White rose to head home a superb cross from substitute Omari Hutchinson. Hutchinson, introduced as part of a triple substitution, injected much-needed energy into Forest’s attack, later winning a penalty that Elliot Anderson calmly converted to seal the points.
The victory, Dyche’s first since replacing Ange Postecoglou, lifted Forest to nine points, still 19th but just two points adrift of Leeds.
For Gibbs-White, who was criticised earlier this season after a failed move to Tottenham, the night was particularly sweet — scoring his third goal under Dyche and earning a standing ovation from the home fans.
Leeds, meanwhile, were left frustrated by their inability to hold onto their early lead. Their attacking threat faded after Nmecha’s opener, with goalkeeper Matz Sels largely untroubled until the dying minutes.
Chelsea Cruise Past Wolves to Move Second
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea climbed to second place in the table after brushing aside a disjointed and managerless Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0. Defender Malo Gusto finally ended his remarkable 165-game goal drought, heading in Alejandro Garnacho’s cross early in the second half. Substitute Estevão Willian then made an instant impact, setting up João Pedro for Chelsea’s second before Pedro Neto capped the win on the counterattack.
It was a satisfying night for Enzo Maresca’s side, who were booed off at half-time after a sluggish opening period. But the Blues dominated proceedings after the break, limiting Wolves to speculative long-range efforts.
“Finally!” Maresca laughed when asked about Gusto’s goal, admitting his full-backs are expected to contribute more in attack. “We like to attack with our defenders — last year Cucurella scored six or seven, hopefully Malo can get a few more.”
With the win, Chelsea climbed to 20 points from 11 games, while Wolves — led temporarily by academy coaches James Collins and Richard Walker — remain rooted to the bottom with just two points.
Brentford Stun Newcastle in Fiery Encounter
In West London, Brentford secured a stunning 3-1 win over Newcastle United, handing Eddie Howe’s side their third straight away defeat in the league.
The Magpies took the lead through Harvey Barnes, who notched his 50th Premier League goal with a crisp finish after neat interplay with Jacob Murphy and Nick Woltemade. But the hosts roared back after the interval, with Kevin Schade heading in the equaliser from close range.
The turning point came in the 78th minute when Newcastle defender Dan Burn was sent off for bringing down Dango Ouattara inside the box. Thiago made no mistake from the spot before adding his second in stoppage time to seal a memorable win for the Bees.
Newcastle’s injury woes deepened as goalkeeper Nick Pope was forced off late on, with Aaron Ramsdale coming in for his debut but unable to prevent Thiago’s clincher. The result leaves Brentford comfortably mid-table, while Newcastle’s away form continues to concern Howe.
Buendía and Martínez Inspire Aston Villa Rout of Bournemouth
At Villa Park, Aston Villa produced a commanding 4-0 victory over Bournemouth, with Emiliano Martínez redeeming himself after last week’s blunder at Anfield.
The Argentine goalkeeper was at his brilliant best, saving a penalty from Antoine Semenyo and making several key stops before substitutes Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen sealed the win.
Earlier, Emiliano Buendía had given Villa the lead with a beautifully executed free-kick, before Amadou Onana doubled the advantage with a precise low drive.
Despite a spirited second-half spell from Bournemouth, Villa’s defensive resilience and Martínez’s heroics ensured their two-goal cushion stood firm. Late goals from Barkley and Malen wrapped up an emphatic result that lifted Villa above Bournemouth in the table.
Bournemouth’s afternoon was further marred by a worrying head injury to captain Adam Smith, who left the field bloodied after a collision with Tyler Adams.
Palace and Brighton Share the Spoils in Heated M23 Derby
At Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion played out a goalless draw, as missed chances and VAR drama defined another fiercely contested M23 derby. Palace dominated for large spells, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr both missing gilt-edged opportunities. Brighton were briefly awarded a penalty when Georginio Rutter went down under contact from young defender Jaydee Canvot, but VAR overturned the decision after replays showed Rutter initiated the contact.
The incident sparked fury among the Brighton bench, while Palace drew confidence from the reprieve, pushing forward in search of a winner. Daichi Kamada struck the side netting and substitute Yeremy Pino forced a fine save from Bart Verbruggen in stoppage time, but neither side could find the breakthrough.
The result keeps both clubs in mid-table, though Palace will rue the missed opportunity to climb into the top four.
It was a weekend of redemptions and revivals across the Premier League — Sean Dyche’s Forest finally off the mark, Chelsea surging up the table, and Aston Villa rediscovering their ruthless edge. For Newcastle and Bournemouth, however, troubling patterns persist, while Palace and Brighton once again shared the spoils in one of England’s fiercest derbies. (Agencies)
