Tottenham crisis deepens with 3-0 defeat to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest
By George Sessions, Press Association
Tottenham collapsed amid a white-hot atmosphere to lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest and increase fears of a seismic relegation.
It had been a rare positive week for Spurs with a spirited point at Anfield followed by a morale-boosting 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid to ease the pressure on Igor Tudor, but the interim boss is firmly back under the microscope after a potentially pivotal defeat in N17.
After the team bus was greeted with partisan backing outside the ground, Tottenham started on the front foot and hit the crossbar twice during a largely dominant first half, only for Igor Jesus’ 45th-minute header to give Vitor Pereira’s team a precious half-time lead.
THREE POINTS IN THE CAPITAL! 𤩠pic.twitter.com/gQhlbSJK0T
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) March 22, 2026
It was a sucker-punch and further blows followed, with Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White able to finish off a slick move after 62 minutes before substitute Taiwo Awoniyi sent Spurs supporters heading for the exits when he tapped in with three minute left.
Boos followed at full-time following another abject home loss, with Tottenham winless in 13 Premier League matches and down to 17th, only a point above West Ham, but Forest backed up Thursday’s Europa League progression with a crucial victory in the fight for survival.
A raucous atmosphere welcomed the arrival of the home team bus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with an estimated 10,000 supporters lining the High Road to show their support.
After Kevin Danso beat Jesus to a dangerous cross early on, Tottenham built momentum and Archie Gray picked out Mathys Tel, who cut inside and had a shot deflected behind.
It sparked a spell of pressure, but Richarlison headed wide from Tel’s corner before Spurs hit the bar when a Danso long throw was inadvertently flicked on to the woodwork by Forest forward Jesus in the 16th minute.
Referee Michael Oliver waved away penalty appeals soon after on Pape Sarr and Micky van de Ven, deployed in an unorthodox left-back role.
The next action occurred in the Forest area when Richarlison flashed a ball across goal before the visitors stood firm amid a flurry of home corners.
Forest went close when Jesus knocked on Elliot Anderson’s header and Guglielmo Vicario – playing a day before a hernia operation – tipped over for Tottenham.
However, Jesus won the next battle as Gibbs-White’ corner to the back post was powered home by the Forest forward in first-half stoppage time.
As Spurs fans attempted to rally the team, Tel let fly from 25 yards and forced Metz Selz into a wonderful finger-tip save on to the bar.
VAR ignored penalty appeals by Tottenham captain Cristian Romero and Tudor made a double substitution.
Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall were sent on, but Forest went close to a second when Anderson found Neco Williams, but Vicario saved well.
A wild left-footed effort by Gray was followed by a lack of composure from the hosts and it ended with a second Forest goal.
Callum Hudson-Odoi raced past Pedro Porro and cut the ball back for Gibbs-White to fire through Vicario after 62 minutes.
Tottenham’s problems were compounded when Tel limped off, but Bergvall poked wide an Udogie cross to hint at a possible comeback.
But it was not forthcoming and, after Sarr had a volley blocked, Forest wrapped up a first league victory since January 25 when Awoniyi tapped in Williams’ cross to spark a mass exodus from the stands.
