Nottingham Forest’s turbulent start to the Premier League season continued on Saturday, September 27, 2025, as Ange Postecoglou’s search for a first win in charge stretched to five games following a narrow 1-0 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland at the City Ground. The result, settled by a contentious first-half goal from Sunderland’s Omar Alderete, has left Forest fans frustrated and the pressure mounting on their new Australian manager.
Postecoglou, who arrived at Forest this summer after a rollercoaster stint at Tottenham Hotspur, faced his home fans for the first time. The anticipation was palpable, but the match quickly turned into a test of patience and resilience. Sunderland, brimming with confidence after a strong start to their return to the Premier League, showed discipline and desire, ultimately sealing their first away win of the campaign and climbing as high as third in the table by Saturday night.
The game’s pivotal moment came in the 38th minute, but not without controversy. Forest midfielder Nicolas Dominguez went down in what appeared to be a 50-50 challenge with Sunderland’s Trai Hume. Referee Tony Harrington, however, saw things differently, booking Dominguez for simulation and awarding Sunderland a free-kick. The City Ground erupted in protest, with captain Chris Wood and his teammates remonstrating and fans chanting “You don’t know what you’re doing” at the officials as they left the pitch for halftime.
From the resulting set-piece, Granit Xhaka delivered a teasing ball into the area and Alderete, a summer signing from Getafe, rose highest to head past Forest keeper Matz Sels. It was Alderete’s first goal for the Black Cats and a moment that would ultimately decide the contest. Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, who has previously voiced his displeasure with Premier League referees, was reportedly incensed by the decision.
Forest, to their credit, responded with urgency and intensity in the second half. Postecoglou, having opted to rest star playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White from the starting lineup despite his recent assist against Real Betis, introduced him at halftime in search of a spark. "We are going to need the whole squad. We have a lot of games coming up, he had a big night the other night and we have a lot of players to give minutes to," Postecoglou explained to Nottinghamshire Live, justifying his rotation policy amid a congested fixture list.
The decision to bench Gibbs-White, however, drew criticism from some quarters, especially with Forest in desperate need of points. The home side pressed forward with renewed vigor, with Chris Wood leading the line as captain. Wood came close on several occasions, nodding a Neco Williams cross just wide and forcing a crucial intervention from Alderete. Substitute Igor Jesus, who had scored twice against Real Betis in midweek, was thrown into the mix, as was Callum Hudson-Odoi, as Forest chased the game.
But Sunderland’s defense, marshaled expertly by Alderete and buoyed by the heroics of goalkeeper Robin Roefs, held firm. Roefs was a wall between the posts, denying Forest with a string of saves, including a remarkable sequence where he kept out four efforts in the space of two minutes. Elliot Anderson and Dan Ndoye both saw promising chances snuffed out, while Wood missed a golden opportunity late on, heading wide with the goal at his mercy.
Sunderland, meanwhile, remained a threat on the counter. Substitute Bertrand Traore forced a smart save from Sels, and in stoppage time, Lutsharel Geertruida nearly doubled the lead after a solo run into the box, only to be denied by the Forest keeper. The Black Cats’ discipline and organization were lauded by their manager, Regis Le Bris, who reflected, “The result is positive but when you look at the different phases and moments in the game we have many things to improve. We are at the level for some of the parts but for others it's pretty obvious we have to improve. For example, the way we build-up the play under pressure. There's room for improvement. The most important thing is to have 11 points. When you can win points, do it because it's not easy. We can't become complacent. That's absolutely impossible. The lads are well connected with this idea. They are proud to win away but aware that we have to be better in many points in our game model.”
This latest defeat leaves Nottingham Forest with three losses and two draws from their opening five league matches under Postecoglou. The sense of urgency is growing, especially with a grueling run of fixtures ahead, including a crucial Europa League tie against Midtjylland looming on October 2. Forest’s summer spending spree, intended to boost the squad’s quality and depth, has yet to yield tangible results in the league, and the constant rotation has left some fans questioning the manager’s approach.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Saturday’s action was packed with surprises. Liverpool’s unbeaten start came to a dramatic end at Selhurst Park, where Crystal Palace snatched a 2-1 victory with a stoppage-time winner from Eddie Nketiah. Liverpool manager Arne Slot conceded, "If one team deserved to win today it was Palace. Credit to Palace – with the Community Shield it’s not the first time we’ve lost to them. They deserved to be two or three up in the first half." Chelsea’s woes continued as they imploded at home against Brighton, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat after another costly red card. Manchester United’s struggles also deepened, with a 3-1 loss at Brentford leaving manager Ruben Amorim under increasing scrutiny.
For Sunderland, their impressive start to the season sees them sitting in fourth place in the table as of September 28, 2025, with just one defeat in their opening six games. However, stats experts at Opta still predict a challenging campaign ahead, forecasting a 17th-place finish for the Black Cats come May. Forest, meanwhile, are projected to finish 15th, but with the current run of form, that may be optimistic unless results turn soon.
As the final whistle blew at the City Ground, the sense of frustration was unmistakable. Forest’s players and fans alike felt aggrieved by the pivotal refereeing decision, but the reality is that the team must find a way to convert chances and secure points. Postecoglou’s insistence on squad rotation and his bold tactical decisions remain under the microscope. With a crucial European night on the horizon and the Premier League table already taking shape, the coming weeks could define Forest’s season—and perhaps Postecoglou’s tenure.
