Brighton brought Nottingham Forest’s impressive unbeaten stretch under Sean Dyche to a grinding halt, claiming a hard-fought 2–0 victory at the City Ground — a win that not only lifted the Seagulls into fifth place but also served as long-awaited payback for last season’s humiliating 7–0 defeat on the very same pitch.
Forest entered the match on a surge of momentum, unbeaten in five and scoring freely. But Brighton, transformed under Fabian Hürzeler, arrived with discipline, purpose and a plan that stifled the hosts for long spells.
In a contest that swayed in tone and tempo, Brighton struck at crucial moments, while Forest — despite a spirited second-half push — were undone by two moments of defensive self-destruction.
The Seagulls were electric in the opening 20 minutes, pressing aggressively and slicing through Forest’s structure. 9 shots in that spell — their most ever in the opening 20 minutes of a Premier League match.
Their captain Lewis Dunk said afterward it was “the best football we’ve played all season early on.”
Yet, for all their fluent movement, Brighton produced no shots on target, allowing Forest time to wrestle their way back into the game. Dyche’s side improved markedly once they switched to a more aggressive man-to-man press, but just as momentum shifted, Brighton landed a crushing blow.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Forest switched off.
Georginio Rutter drifted into space and slipped a sharp pass into Maxim De Cuyper, who arrived unmarked and swept confidently into the far corner.
The Belgian — deployed higher than usual in a bold tactical tweak — was outstanding throughout and was by far the game’s most influential figure.
It was a moment Forest could ill afford, and one Dyche later called “a reminder of the levels we must maintain.”
Forest came roaring out after the break, dominating territory and firing 11 shots to Brighton’s four in the second half. Their pressure forced Brighton deeper and deeper, and the City Ground crowd sensed an equaliser building. But one lapse undid everything.
Defender Morato, under pressure inside his own box, attempted an ill-advised back-pass that fell short.
Brajan Gruda pounced instantly, rounding Sels only to see the keeper claw the ball away. But the rebound rolled straight to 19-year-old Stefanos Tzimas, who stabbed home to double the lead.
Forest had earlier relied on Matz Sels, who pulled off back-to-back saves from Diego Gomez and Ferdi Kadioglu to keep the game alive.
At the other end, Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced his best stop of the match to deny Igor Jesus after Forest’s best attacking sequence.
Forest had half-chances and dangerous flurries, but unlike their recent high-scoring displays, the final touch was missing.
The second half was a test of Brighton’s resilience.
And as the final whistle blew, Brighton had not only three points, but also catharsis — rectifying the 7–0 humiliation Forest dealt them last February.
Brighton jump to fifth, strengthening their push for European qualification, The Seagulls look tactically sharper and mentally tougher under Hürzeler — and now have a defining away win.
Forest drop to 16th, just one point clear of the relegation zone, despite improving dramatically since Dyche’s arrival.
Dyche’s early momentum has stalled, but Forest were competitive and will feel the result was harsher than their performance suggested. Still, Premier League survival hinges on cutting out costly errors — and this match provided two painful examples.
Brighton, meanwhile, continue their ascent, mixing high-quality football with newfound resilience.
