Tottenham moved up to fourth in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Aston Villa’s draw with Brentford on Saturday presented Spurs with the chance to enter the top four on goal difference, and they did just with a relatively comfortable victory in north London.
An own goal from Murillo was the first goal Spurs have scored in the first-half of a match at home in 2024, and while Chris Wood equalised for the visitors to level it up before half-time, goals from Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro after the break earned all three points for the hosts.
It was a rare quick start from Ange Postecoglou’s side and they were rewarded inside 15 minutes, as Timo Werner played the ball across the face of goal and a sliding Murillo could only turn it into his own net.
Forest responded well though and levelled it up through the in-form Chris Wood, who swept a first-time finish past Guglielmo Vicario after good work from Anthony Elanga.
Wood should have had a second before long, after Vicario parried the ball straight into his path, but the striker somehow smacked his effort against the post from just a couple of yards out.
Spurs were perhaps fortunate to make it to half-time on level terms, and Postecoglou responded by bringing on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur at the break.
The hosts restored their lead soon after the break, through a brilliant strike from Van de Ven, and they only had to wait five minutes for a third goal.
James Maddison played the ball into the box, Bentancur’s header fell for Porro and he followed Van de Ven’s lead in opting for maximum power, as he rifled a strike into the back of the net, with Forest never looking like finding a response to that double setback.
