Nottingham Forest returned to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon as Tottenham Hotspur were the visitors at The City Ground.
Steve Cooper made two changes from last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Everton, Morgan Gibbs-White making his first City Ground start in place of Taiwo Awoniyi and Ryan Yates coming in to replace the injured Orel Mangala.
The Reds started brightly in front of a packed home crowd, Gibbs-White moving forward inside the opening minutes before finding Lingard, his cross was cleared back to Gibbs-White but he couldn’t quite keep his effort on target.
Minutes later, England captain Harry Kane gave Spurs the lead after their first meaningful foray forward on 5 minutes. Dejan Kulusevski drove the visitors forward before finding Kane on the right-hand side of the penalty area, and despite not getting a clean strike on the ball, his low effort found the bottom corner.
Forest were almost level soon after, the lively Gibbs-White with a precise pass through the Spurs defence to find the run of Johnson, the Wales international proceeded to deliver a teasing ball across the six-yard box but Lingard couldn’t quite make contact on the charge at the back-post.
Kane looked to double his and Spurs' tally on 13 minutes, the frontman getting in-behind The Reds’ defence with a well-timed run but was denied by a fantastic Joe Worrall challenge on the edge of the area to divert the ball away from danger.
On 16 minutes, Hueng-min Son went close for the North London side, bending an effort just over Dean Henderson’s crossbar.
Forest were lively in the attacking third and looked to deliver dangerous crosses from both flanks, Neco with Williams seeing a cross blocked before Lewis O’Brien saw a long-range strike well palmed away by Hugo Lloris.
The Reds sprung a counter-attack on the half-hour mark, Johnson showing good awareness to let the ball run for Gibbs-White before the forward looked to find Lingard with a curling pass behind the Spurs defence but Lloris on the stretch was able to beat the ball away before our number 11 could make contact.
Despite being behind, Forest were on top for large periods of the half and almost levelled again just before the break, Lingard laying off Toffolo’s cross for Gibbs-White but the forward was just too high to trouble Lloris.
Half time: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs had the first opportunity of the second half as Sweden international Kulusevski found Kane but Worrall was in close company once again to deny the striker an effort on goal.
On 50 minutes, The Reds came close to an equaliser. Toffolo’s clever pass found Gibbs-White inside the penalty area, he crossed towards Yates who met the ball well but his header drifted just wide of Lloris’ left-hand post with the World Cup winning goalkeeper left planted to the spot.
Three minutes later, Tottenham were awarded a penalty after referee Craig Pawson spotted a handball from Steve Cook, the defender flicking away an Ivan Perišić cross under pressure at the back-post. Kane stepped up to take the spot-kick but was fantastically denied by Henderson, his second penalty save in as many homes games, getting down to his right to beat the ball to safety.
Reds moved up field straight away and almost levelled, Williams driving a bouncing effort just wide as the City Ground noise went up yet another notch in search of a leveller.
Forest made their first change of the match as Emmanuel Dennis came on for his City Ground debut, replacing Lingard, a move which saw Gibbs-White drop into the hole behind Johnson and the newly introduced Nigeria international.
A triple change soon followed as Cooper freshened up his pack, Remo Freuler and Cheikhou Kouyaté making their first City Ground appearances as well as Taiwo Awoniyi as the trip replaced Yates, O’Brien and Cook.
With 12 minutes remaining, Kulusevski pounced on possession inside the Forest half before charging into the penalty area, the Swede then found substitute Richarlison with a ball towards the near-post but good pressure from Williams saw the ball bounce against the Brazil international and behind for a goal kick.
After Dennis came close at the other end, Spurs were two ahead as Kane headed in his second of the afternoon. Richarlison’s cross finding the frontman to stoop and head past Henderson.
As we approached the final few minutes of normal time, Sam Surridge took the place of Johnson and Djed Spence made a return to The City Ground as he replaced Bentancur for the visitors to a warm ovation from the home supporters following his expoits on loan last season.
With eight minutes added, Dennis took charge of a free-kick 20 yards out after being fouled but saw his effort deflected behind by Kane in the Tottenham wall.
Forest continued to rally with a flurry of late corners before Worrall lifted an effort over the bar when well-positioned in the area as The Reds looked to halve the deficit.
Despite a strong performance with plenty of positives, Kane’s double was the difference and Spurs return to the capital with the points.
Full time: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Forest: Dean Henderson; Joe Worrall (C), Steve Cook (Cheikhou Kouyaté 75'), Scott McKenna; Neco Williams, Ryan Yates (Remo Freuler 75'), Lewis O’Brien (Taiwo Awoniyi 75'), Harry Toffolo; Jesse Lingard (Emmanuel Dennis 69'), Brennan Johnson (Sam Surridge 89'), Morgan Gibbs-White
Substitutes: Wayne Hennessey, Giulian Biancone, Jack Colback, Alex Mighten
Bookings: Cook, Worrall, McKenna, O’Brien, Kouyate, Johnson
Tottenham Hotspur: Hugo Lloris (C); Dávinson Sanchez, Eric Dier, Ben Davies; Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Bentancur (Djed Spence 90'), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Ivan Perišić (Ryan Sessegnon 74'); Dejan Kulusevski (Yves Bissouma 83), Son Heung-min (Richarlison 74'), Harry Kane
Substitutes: Fraser Forster, Japhet Tanganga, Clement Lenglet, Matt Doherty, Pape Sarr
Bookings: Kane
Goals: Harry Kane (5', 81')