Nottingham Forest are being praised for overcoming their Video Assistant Referee woes from last weekend to beat Crystal Palace at the City Ground in the final match before the Premier League pauses for the World Cup.
Morgan Gibbs-White was deemed onside after a VAR check when finishing off the rebound of Brennan Johnson 's low drive, which was parried by the Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita right to the Reds ' record signing. The 22-year-old took a touch to control off his hip before finishing into the bottom corner.
Head coach Steve Cooper has also come in for praise after getting the best out of Gibbs-White and company over recent weeks. Here is how a selection of the national media reported on the match.
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READ MORE: Cooper delivers verdict on Forest's crucial victory over Palace
Daily Mail
Nottingham Forest finally had a helping hand from VAR to claim a victory that ensures they will not be bottom of the Premier League at Christmas.
Steve Cooper’s side were starting to feel the world was against them last week after they were on the wrong end of four contentious decisions from Stockley Park during the 2-2 draw with Brentford here.
But after Wilfred Zaha had missed a penalty late in the first half, Morgan Gibbs-White scored the only goal of the game just before the hour mark.
Gibbs-White’s close range effort was initially flagged but after an agonising wait, VAR decided he was onside and Forest had a victory that would have been more comfortable with better finishing from Jesse Lingard.
The Telegraph
It was a record-breaking transfer window for Nottingham Forest, with 23 new players, but Steve Cooper appears to have found a formula to make it work.
After 15 Premier League matches, Forest are off the bottom of the table and the recent improvement by this expensively assembled team under Cooper has been remarkable.
There was so much scrutiny, and criticism, over Forest’s £150 million spend, and Cooper was given the task of moulding a new squad into a cohesive and competitive outfit.
Eight of those summer arrivals started here, with record signing Morgan Gibbs-White, Jesse Lingard and Remo Freuler excellent, and this was a display which suggested Forest’s return to the top division may not be a whistle-stop tour after all.
The Times
Morgan Gibbs-White was among the players watching nervously from the dugout, biting their nails and peeking through their fingers, right up until a deafening roar signalled that his second-half goal had ensured three vital points for Nottingham Forest.
A sense of injustice had threatened to smother Steve Cooper’s side again, having seen four penalty appeals contentiously denied against Brentford last week. Those grievances were stoked further when Tyrick Mitchell escaped an early red card after tripping over a rejuvenated Jesse Lingard on the edge of the box.
The City Ground was still frothing when Wilfried Zaha was taken down in the box towards the end of the half, but Forest rode their luck as Crystal Palace’s talisman struck a post from the spot...
What do you make of the formula Cooper has found? Have your say in the comments...
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