Chris Wood took his tally to seven goals in nine matches this season with a second-half double as Nottingham Forest won at Leicester to rise to fifth in the Premier League.
New Zealand forward Wood swivelled to fire in a ruthless 47th-minute finish and headed his second after 60 minutes, putting himself two goals behind Bryan Roy’s record for Premier League goals for Forest.
Chris Wood, TAKE A BOW! 🔥
He’s now the second highest goal scorer in Premier League history for Nottingham Forest 😮 pic.twitter.com/GkFMi8JeCr
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 25, 2024
Ryan Yates struck from 25 yards to give the hosts a 16th-minute lead before Jamie Vardy pounced from Harry Winks’ cross seven minutes later for Leicester, who remain 14th.
Callum Hudson-Odoi angled a shot against a post after Woods’ first but the Championship winner with Leicester in 2013/14 has now been responsible for all but four of Forest’s goals in their league campaign.
Chris Wood bags AGAIN! 🔥
Nottingham Forest take the lead at the start of the second half through Wood’s sixth of the season 💥 pic.twitter.com/e17KNjmNkW
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 25, 2024
Forest vs Leicester: Wood works more magic
After taking Forest from the foot of the Championship to promotion in 2022 and keeping them up the following season, City manager Steve Cooper remains beloved by his former clubs’ fans.
That status will have been little consolation as Cooper was serenaded by the visiting supporters, who revisited a song they once routinely sang to him about hating Leicester and making Forest magic.
“The opportunity was perfect and he TOOK it.” 🔥
Ryan Yates puts Nottingham Forest ahead ⚽ pic.twitter.com/t0Tu2Vpb1t
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 25, 2024
The main magician at the King Power Stadium was Wood, who chuckled on the bench after being substituted late on and is only behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in the top-scorer standings.
Only Haaland, with 18, has scored more goals aside from penalties than the 16 netted by Wood since Nuno Espirito Santo took charge of Forest for the first time in December 2023, succeeding Cooper.
Jamie Vardy has STARTED the party with an equaliser for Leicester City! 🎉
Game on. pic.twitter.com/YVpNSCdIt6
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 25, 2024
Forest fly up Premier League table
Santo had the novelty of watching from the press box because of a touchline ban and the Portuguese may enjoy reading the reports from the media he shared his vantage point with.
Few might have confidently tipped Forest to flourish at the start of the season but this result moved them above Tottenham, Chelsea and another of Wood’s former clubs, Brighton & Hove Albion.
What a start to the Premier League from Nottingham Forest 👏 pic.twitter.com/OyMUx4zcNl
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 25, 2024
Their only real blip has been a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham on September 28, and they now have two winnable-looking games at home to West Ham and Newcastle.
There were boos at the end from some Leicester fans, who had seen their team beat Bournemouth at home and Southampton away in their previous matches.
City visit Ipswich Town next in the league on November 2 (3pm BST).
