How the match unfolded

Forest defender Murillo went agonisingly close to scoring his first senior goal in the 11th minute, with an audacious attempt from 80 yards that floated inches wide of the target.

However, his intervention at the other end four minutes later put Forest behind as the Brazilian inadvertently turned Timo Werner’s cross beyond Matz Sels.

But, after Sels’ magnificent reflex save denied former Forest winger Brennan Johnson, the visitors responded in the 27th minute, with Wood drilling home from Anthony Elanga’s deflected cross.

The in-form striker should have scored again seven minutes later, but rattled the post from four yards out after Guglielmo Vicario had parried Ryan Yates’ shot into his path.

With Postecoglou having made changes at the break, Spurs looked more purposeful after the restart and regained the lead within seven minutes – Van de Van lashing a thumping drive into the roof of the net.

Another fine strike from a defender gave the hosts breathing space just before the hour, with Rodrigo Bentancur helping James Maddison’s cross into the path of Porro, who fired in on the volley.

Forest almost capitalised on some nervy Spurs defending late on, though ultimately it was the hosts who went closer in the latter stages – Sels making another fine save to tip Son Heung-min’s strike onto a post.

Postecoglou’s side remain without a clean sheet in the Premier League on home soil since October. However, the defence certainly came up trumps for the hosts at the other end.

Van de Ven’s thunderbolt was a stupendous finish, while Porro’s persistence in front of goal also finally paid off – his strike brought up his first league goal of the season, from what was his 42nd shot in the competition.