West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest: Visiotrs win to boost top-five hopes

As well as being a crucial game in their top-five bid, this was also an emotional match for Forest as their first since striker Taiwo Awoniyi required emergency surgery after colliding with a post during their draw with Leicester last week.

Forest warmed up in T-shirts bearing Awoniyi’s name and number on the back, plus the message “we are all with you Taiwo on the front”.

After scoring, Gibbs-White held up a Forest shirt with Awoniyi and number nine printed on the back, giving it a kiss in tribute. The players also held it aloft at full-time and posed with it in front of the away fans.

There was an eerie moment midway through the first half when Bowen collided with the post during an attack. The England forward suffered a cut to the head, but was able to continue.

There were also murmurings of discontent when a Chris Wood double chance – the first blocked, the second saved – was eventually flagged offside very late by assistant Akil Howson. The decision to delay offside calls has been cited as a factor in Awoniyi’s injury.

However, Forest put concerns aside to record a first league double over West Ham in 41 years – and more pertinently, keep up the pressure on the top five.