Nottingham Forest v Southampton: Premier League – live

38 min Bella-Kotchap is helped off the field. I hope he’s OK.

“I think you’re right,” says Kári Tulinius. “These aren’t bad teams. But well-run clubs they’re not. Southampton was built around a certain style, which Hasenhüttl implemented. The club fired him and hired a totally different kind of manager. Meanwhile, Forest’s hierarchy have signed 30 new players. If Cooper keeps them up, it’s a miracle. At least these teams have entertained.” Good points.

36 min It should be 3-1! This episode is a tale of two centre-backs. One, Bella-Kotchap, finds Brennan Johnson racing past him as he goes down in a heap. The other, Bednarek, saves the day with a majestic sliding block.

35 min I should have said some time ago that Forest are playing a back four, not 3-4-2-1 as advertised. At this stage, it’s a tactical masterstroke.

34 min There have now been 17 goals in the Premier League today. In two games and a third.

32 min As it stands, Forest are going back above the mighty Everton. But Southampton have been the better side, so there may be twists to come.

“Evening Tim,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Forest working on the old goal difference. Good to see.” Ha.

29 min: save! McCarthy, with his knee, from Yates, who shot from the penalty spot. The flag went up, but it was mistaken.

Ward-Prowse nicked the ball back high up the field. A couple of neat passes cut the defence open, and Alcaraz had time to take a touch before playing another pass into the net. Simple but effective.

GOAL! Forest 2-1 Southampton (Alcaraz 25)

There was a game of pinball in the Southampton box. Danilo kept calm and played a little chip through to Awoniyi, who shrugged off the defender grabbing his shirt, swivelled and hooked a sensational volley past the helpless McCarthy. You wait four months for a goal from Awoniyi, then two come at once.

GOAL! Forest 2-0 Southampton (Awoniyi 22)

That was such a good counter, it could have been Everton at Brighton. A crisp long ball set Johnson free on the right. He picked his moment and found Awoniyi, who slotted home from ten yards as if he did it all the time. In fact, he hadn’t done it since he last faced Southampton, four months ago.

GOAL! Forest 1-0 Southampton (Awoniyi 18)

16 min If you didn’t know these teams were the bottom two, you’d never guess from watching them. Both are passing the ball so confidently.

14 min Passes in final third, says a caption: Forest 5, Southampton 25.

12 min Southampton win a corner and Walcott does well to get the flick-on at the near post. “Anything can happen from those,” says Smith, just as we see that nothing can happen too.

10 min: chance! A surging run from Gibbs-White sets up Johnson, who drills his shot just wide.

Meanwhile, we have an email. “This fixture gets a green stamp of approval,” says Peter Oh, “for prominently featuring trees on the club crests. It’s too bad that both teams face are in grave danger of being cut down and cleared from the Premier League. Save the Trees!!!”

7 min: chance! Neat feet from Walcott and Adams would be celebrating if it weren’t for a good block from Felipe. “Nervous start from Forest,” says Alan Smith.

4 min It’s been a breathless start. Southampton get the first shot in as Che Adams has a go from the inside-left channel and curls it over. Up the other end, McCarthy has to race out and clear as Johnson bears down upon him.

1 min Southampton kick off and play the ball straight back to McCarthy. He goes long, once then twice, before the action lands in the Forest box, where a mishit clearance needs a punch from Navas.

The National Anthem is being played, and sung. And not booed, as far as I can tell. Among those who know the words are Theo Walcott and James Ward-Prowse.

The players are out there in the East Midlands rain. Forest are in their traditional red shirts, Southampton in pale blue. Forest go into a huddle with Ryan Yates, back in charge, saying something urgent.

Steve Cooper is talking to Sky. “We’ve just got to believe in ourselves,” he says. “Just focus on the performance and get the win that we really want.”

Back to those teams. Steve Cooper makes only one change to the Forest side that lost narrowly at Brentford, leaving out Joe Worrall and bringing back Ryan Yates, who has been out for six weeks with a shoulder injury.

Ruben Selles opts for three changes to the Southampton team that lost more conclusively at Newcastle. In come Theo Walcott, Che Adams and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and out go Lyanco, Djenepo and Sulemana.

Another goal at the Amex! There have now been 13 of them in two games today. This one’s going to be a 0-0, isn’t it?

In case Brighton 0-3 Everton wasn’t far-fetched enough… Dwight McNeil has added another. Details here from Barry Glendenning.

Teams

Preamble