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Nottingham Forest thrashed Brighton with big performances from Ola Aina, Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga.

Nigeria’s Ola Aina and his Nottingham Forest produced a stunning performance to demolish Brighton 7-0 in a Premier League clash at the City Ground.

Super Eagles stars Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi featured in the game, with Aina playing the full 90 minutes while Awoniyi made a cameo appearance.

This emphatic victory not only marked Forest’s biggest league win since 1991 but also served as a statement of intent as they reignited their Champions League hopes.

Here are seven key takeaways from the match:

1. Ola Aina’s redemption story

Ola Aina delivered a commanding performance, helping Nottingham Forest keep a clean sheet while contributing to their dominant display.

For Aina, this win was particularly sweet as he faced Brighton’s Adingra, the same player who caused him trouble during the AFCON final loss to Côte d’Ivoire.

This time, Aina came out on top, showing his resilience and class against the Ivorian winger and his Brighton temmates.

2. Chris Wood’s hattrick heroics

Chris Wood stole the show with a stunning hat-trick, reminding Fantasy Premier League managers who sold him of his immense value.

With 13 non-penalty goals this season, Wood is now one of the league’s top scorers, trailing only Haaland (17), Isak (16), and Salah (14).

He also extended his impressive record against Brighton, scoring more goals (10) against them than any other team in his English league career.

3. A historic win for Forest

Nottingham Forest’s 7-0 victory was their biggest league win since April 1991, when they defeated Chelsea by the same margin.

This result also made them only the second team in Premier League history to lose by five or more goals and then immediately win their next game by five or more goals, following Sheffield Wednesday’s feat in 1997.

4. The Elanga show

Anthony Elanga was instrumental in Forest’s success, registering a hat-trick of assists—a rare feat in the Premier League this season.

He joins Chelsea’s playmaking genius Cole Palmer as the only players to achieve this milestone so far.

Elanga’s creativity was on full display for Forest, proving he is an invaluable asset for Forest.

5. Elanga shows Man United what they’re missing

Since leaving Manchester United, Anthony Elanga, who graduated from the club’s academy, has flourished at Nottingham Forest.

His 16 Premier League assists since the start of last season match Kevin De Bruyne’s tally during the same period. Additionally, his partnership with Wood has been electric.

Elanga has assisted Wood 10 times in the Premier League since last season—the most by any player for a single teammate in that time frame.

6. Forest’s incredible resilience

After suffering a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth last week, Nottingham Forest bounced back in spectacular fashion with this historic win over Brighton.

Their ability to recover so emphatically highlights their incredible character, mental strength and determination to fight for a top-four finish.

7. Brighton hit rock bottom

This loss marked Brighton’s heaviest league defeat since their infamous 9-0 drubbing by Middlesbrough in 1958.

The Seagulls looked disjointed and outclassed throughout the game, raising serious concerns about their form and ability to compete at this level moving forward.

From Ola Aina’s defensive masterclass to Chris Wood’s clinical finishing and Anthony Elanga’s creative brilliance, it was a day when everything clicked for Forest.

For Brighton, however, it was a day to forget as they suffered one of their worst defeats in decades.

This performance will undoubtedly boost Forest’s confidence as they aim for European football next season while leaving Brighton searching for answers after such a humbling loss.