Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest played to a goalless draw at the City Ground on Sunday, extending Tottenham’s run without a goal to three matches—their most prolonged drought to start a Premier League season since 1974. The match featured a controversial moment in the second half when a potential winning goal for Forest, scored by Neco Williams, was disallowed after a VAR review determined the ball struck Williams’ hand before crossing the line.
The sequence began when James McAtee released Morgan Gibbs-White, whose shot ricocheted off Spurs goalkeeper Toni Kinski and appeared to be heading into the net. A struggling Sandro Tonali attempted to clear but failed, allowing Williams to follow up and bundle the ball home. Initially awarded by referee Craig Pawson, the goal was ruled out after VAR intervention, sparking frustration among Forest players and supporters. Forest manager Oliver Glasner expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, noting the lack of clear evidence that warranted the disallowance. Williams himself maintained that the goal should have stood, citing the VAR standard that overturns decisions only in cases of “clear and obvious error.”
Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi focused on his team’s offensive struggles, criticizing his £165 million strike force for their inability to convert chances. Tottenham registered a dozen attempts but failed to register a single shot on target during the match. De Zerbi highlighted poor decision-making in the attacking third, pointing to specific examples such as Omar Marmoush’s preference to shoot rather than pass in promising situations and the misfiring crossing attempts from Mathys Tel and others. The manager referenced the need for composure and smarter execution when entering crucial areas of the pitch. De Zerbi also confirmed that players Savio and Destiny Udogie were substituted on medical advice during the game, with Savio making his Premier League debut after his £75 million transfer from Manchester City.
The visitors’ lineup featured Marmoush leading the attack, though his role was noted as different from that of a traditional target man. Despite some encouraging movement, Marmoush’s missed opportunities and De Zerbi’s public critique underline the ongoing search for a reliable goal scorer at Tottenham, who have parted ways with prolific forwards Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, and Brennan Johnson in recent seasons.
Forest, under Glasner, continued to adopt a strategy that accepts possession dominance by opponents while seeking opportunities on the break. The team remains in search of its first goal of the campaign despite showing moments of attacking promise, particularly just before the disallowed Williams strike.
The draw leaves Tottenham with just one point from three games—a disappointing start to the season given the strength of their offensive investments—while Nottingham Forest secured their first point, though feeling denied a potential victory due to the controversial ruling. Both sides will look to refine their attacking efficiency as the Premier League campaign progresses.