Premier League 2024-25: Wood brace earns Nottingham Forest 3-1 derby win at Leicester

Forest moved to 16 points from nine matches and into the top five while Leicester stays in 14th place with nine points from as many fixtures.

Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood celebrates scoring a goal with Anthony Elanga. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Chris Wood scored a brace as Nottingham Forest moved up to fifth in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over host Leicester City in the East Midlands derby on Friday, underlining its excellent start to the season.

Ryan Yates put Forest in front with a rare goal before Jamie Vardy equalised for the home side. The visitor was much the better side in the second half and Woods’ double took them to a comfortable victory.

Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen made a stunning save from point-blank range to deny Nicolas Dominguez. Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi struck the post and Yates missed a sitter as the visitors should have won by a greater margin.

Forest moved to 16 points from nine matches and into the top five, though it has played a game more than the teams around. Leicester stays in 14th place with nine points from as many fixtures as it continues to leak goals.

It was an accomplished performance from the visitor and a meek defeat for the host, which has former Forest manager Steve Cooper in its dugout, needing to find an answer to its defensive frailties.

Forest led on 16 minutes when Leicester twice failed to adequately clear from a corner and Yates drilled the ball into net from 25-yards, the second Premier League goal of his career.

First Facundo Buonanotte tried to dribble out of his own box and was dispossessed before James Justin’s feeble clearance fell invitingly for Forest captain Yates to score.

The lead lasted seven minutes before a flowing Leicester move found Harry Winks wide on the left and his inviting ball across the six-yard box was poked into the net by Vardy.

Dominguez seemed destined to score before he was brilliantly denied by Hermansen, but Wood put the visitors back in front two minutes into the second period, punishing his former side with a shot on the turn from 15 yards.

Forest were inches away from extending its lead as Hudson-Odoi curled the ball onto the post but the visitors would not be denied.

Leicester defender Wout Faes failed to deal with a long ball from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels and Wood looped a header into the net from 10 yards.

He has now scored seven of Forest’s 11 goals in the Premier League this season.