Key Takeaways
- Morgan Gibbs-White scored three times in 15 minutes to turn the match on its head.
- Forest moved five points above Tottenham, who sit in the drop zone.
- Burnley have won only once since October and could be relegated next weekend.
Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White smashed a perfect hat-trick in just 15 second-half minutes to steer his side to a 4-1 win over Burnley and push Tottenham deeper into relegation danger.
Forest entered the game on the back of a Europa League quarter-final and looked jaded in the opening 45 minutes. They fell behind in first-half stoppage time when Zian Flemming tapped in at the far post after poor defending from Nikola Milenkovic.
Manager Nuno Espírito Santo introduced Igor Jesus at the break, and the Brazilian’s energy changed the mood. Although Gibbs-White scuffed an early chance, he soon found his range. On 62 minutes he side-footed home after a headed knock-down. Six minutes later he met Omari Hutchinson’s cross with a crisp low finish at the back post. The treble was complete in the 77th minute when he powered a header past the keeper from Ryan Yates’ centre.
Jesus rubbed salt in Burnley wounds by racing clear in stoppage time to slot the fourth.
The victory lifts Forest to 36 points, five clear of 18th-placed Tottenham, while Burnley remain on 20 and could be condemned to the Championship by the end of next weekend.
Before kick-off the City Ground paid tribute to Elliot Anderson, who returned to the squad for the first time since the death of his mother and laid flowers in the centre circle to a warm ovation.