Anderson stuns former club Newcastle with late equaliser as Forest step towards safety

For Nottingham Forest, just how precious might Elliot Anderson’s late equaliser at home to Newcastle prove? Vítor Pereira’s side knew they had to match or better West Ham’s result later against the Premier League leaders, Arsenal, and if West Ham fail to win at the London Stadium, then Forest’s mood will improve again and relegation fears will substitute. In a game devoid of quality, the Newcastle substitutes Jacob Ramsey and Harvey Barnes combined to seize Eddie Howe’s side a 74th-minute lead, but the former Newcastle youngster showed great endeavour to level.

For Forest, who Pereira warned had no time to wallow after exiting the Europa League on Thursday, the wait goes on to guarantee Premier League survival, but this point – and their vastly superior goal difference – could go some way to doing so. Anderson has been Forest’s best player this season by some distance and after playing a give and go with James McAtee, a Forest sub, the England midfielder burned into the six-yard box and sent an effort past Nick Pope from a tight angle. The likelihood is this was Anderson’s penultimate Forest game at the City Ground, the 23-year-old a target for Manchester City and Manchester United this summer.

Ramsey and Barnes entered on the hour and the former released the latter through on goal with a clever pass in the 74th minute. Barnes snaffled his chance, keeping the Forest defender Morato at arm’s length before burying a shot past Matz Sels in the home goal. Until then, there had been few clearcut openings, the best chances falling to Will Osula, again preferred to Yoane Wissa in attack. Sels saved from Osula in the first half after Nick Woltemade spread play to his right and in the second, Osula cannoned the crossbar with a right-footed free-kick from 25 yards.

Harvey Barnes (left) came off the bench to score the opener. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Before Barnes’s goal, arguably the moment of the match was Anderson’s display of appetite to block off Bruno Guimarães close to the touchline and then, seconds later, knock the ball past Barnes on the byline. It was the kind of episode that has won Anderson admirers here and much farther afield.

Forest, again without Morgan Gibbs-White, Murillo, Ibrahim Sangaré and Ola Aina through injury, struggled to create clear openings but Anderson did not give in. As Anderson’s Forest teammates surrounded him to celebrate, the England midfielder lay on the floor, his physical exertions catching up with him. Once off the turf, Anderson limped towards the Trent End, clenched his right fist and then made a heart with his hands, a tribute to his late mother, Helen.