Everton secured a vital 2-0 away victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on December 31, 2025, to boost their Premier League survival hopes. Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucouré in either half gave the Toffees a relatively comfortable win in a tense relegation six-pointer. Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring with a powerful header from a Dwight McNeil cross in the 28th minute, and Doucouré sealed the points with a low drive from the edge of the box late on. The match was defined by Everton's defensive solidity and efficiency on the counter-attack, as Forest struggled to break down a well-organized Sean Dyche side. A major flashpoint saw Forest have a strong penalty appeal turned down in the first half when Taiwo Awoniyi went down under a challenge, with VAR upholding the on-field decision. This win lifted Everton out of the immediate relegation zone in the league table, while it plunged Nottingham Forest deeper into trouble near the bottom. Forest's manager was critical of the penalty decision, while Dyche hailed a perfect away performance from his Everton team. The lineups highlighted Everton's physical and direct approach against a Forest side lacking creativity.