Hudson-Odoi seals precious victory for Nottingham Forest at Sheffield United

Nottingham Forest took a significant step towards Premier League safety as two goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and another from their captain, Ryan Yates, piled more misery on bottom-placed Sheffield United. The victory moved Forest three points clear of Luton Town with two games remaining.

Forest fell behind early on to a Ben Brereton Díaz penalty and, had it not been for a combination of some real profligacy in front of goal from the hosts and a string of great saves from Matz Sels, could have been further behind. But they recovered superbly, levelling through a wonderful strike from Hudson-Odoi.

They went ahead in the second half when Yates rifled home on the half-volley before Hudson-Odoi secured three potentially priceless points with his second goal. With Luton only drawing on Friday night and Burnley capitulating at home to Newcastle, it means Forest are firmly in command of their own destiny.

They sit five points clear of Burnley and, crucially, three ahead of Luton with only two games remaining, and survival suddenly feels firmly within reach for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side. As for the Blades, they are now the first team in Premier League history to concede 100 goals in a 38-game season. It was another miserable afternoon for a side whose own fate has long since been sealed.

Brereton Díaz’s goal was his sixth since joining on loan from Villarreal, and had he, Cameron Archer or Gus Hamer taken further chances that came their way in the early stages, this may have been a different outcome. In the end, it was an all-too-familiar one for the hosts.

Hudson-Odoi cut inside before brilliantly curling past Wes Foderingham to make it 1-1 before Sels produced two good saves to deny Hamer and Archer. Chris Wood then hit the bar from a Morgan Gibbs-White cross and as the second half began, it was Forest who looked far more likely to go ahead.

Their second goal arrived when Yates finished from close range to score his first Premier League goal. Ten minutes later, Hudson-Odoi again cut inside from the left to finish past Foderingham in style. That left the final 20 minutes feeling somewhat like a non-event as United failed to really threaten a comeback. Forest now know that one more win will, in all likelihood, secure survival.