Burnley vs Nottingham Forest. Premier League.
Turf MoorAttendance21,109.
Report and free highlights as Nottingham Forest officially confirm third-successive season of Premier League football with final-day victory; Chris Wood scores twice on return to Turf Moor as haunted Clarets relegated to Championship having lost 24 games
Sunday 19 May 2024 19:42, UK
Chris Wood's first-half double made Nottingham Forest's Premier League status certain with a 2-1 final-day victory over already-relegated Burnley.
Forest travelled to Turf Moor with the chance - albeit slim - of them joining Burnley in the Championship still on the table.
A Luton victory and a 12-goal swing would have sent Forest down, but Wood - Burnley's record scorer in the Premier League - haunted his former club with two goals in the opening 15 minutes to allay any lingering relegation fears.
Wood turned in Anthony Elanga's cross inside two minutes and doubled his tally just before the quarter-hour mark when VAR ruled he deflected Ryan Yates' shot past Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric from an onside position.
Josh Cullen's deflected strike halved the deficit with 18 minutes to play but it failed to inspire a late comeback as Burnley bowed out of the Premier League having suffered their 24th defeat of the season.
Burnley had won just two home matches all season and their hopes of signing off from the top-flight with a win before returning to the Championship were dashed by their former striker.
Wood needed just 76 seconds to break the deadlock, hammering in Elanga's cross after the winger had driven superbly past Burnley defender Charlie Taylor.
It ended a five-game goal drought for the New Zealand international, who soon added a second when he prodded Forest captain Ryan Yates' wayward shot into the Burnley net. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but a lengthy VAR check ruled in Wood's favour.
Burnley showed plenty of promise but, similarly to their season, lacked substance in attacking areas, with Zeki Amdouni spurning two chances to reduce the arrears before the interval.
Vincent Kompany brought Johann Berg Gudmundsson on for his final Burnley appearance at half-time but the second half continued in the same manner, with Wood denied a headed third by Muric within seconds of the restart.
Morgan Gibbs-White forced a fine, fingertip save from Muric as Forest continued to dominate the second period before Burnley grabbed a lifeline with 18 minutes to play.
Cullen's shot deflected off Murillo past wrong-footed Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, but it failed to inspire a late Burnley comeback, with Wilson Odobert blazing wide late on as Forest held on.
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo: "It's very important to finish on a high after a huge effort from everybody at the club - the players, the staff, the fans. A well-deserved win to finish a tough season.
"Our fans are going to see Premier League football [again], that is very important. We came with the idea to keep Forest in the Premier League, so now is the moment to celebrate it.
"It was a very tough season; everybody is aware of the things we've been through. The points deduction had an affect on the players. They needed to go again, and they did it."
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany: "We conceded two shots, two goals in the opening 15 minutes. I sort of doubted whether the team was ready to go one more time, but after that we grew into the game. We got to 2-1, could have nicked the draw.
"Our focus was on trying to win the game and giving ourselves the chance to start next season in a positive way.
"It's a matter of perspective, if you look from a Premier League level, we're not quite ready yet, that's the honest truth. But if you look at it from a Championship level, it's a very exciting club that can still improve and grow. Hopefully this club will be in the Premier League again."
The 2023/24 season has reached its conclusion but planning has already started for the new campaign.
Several Premier League sides have confirmed pre-season friendlies ahead of the 2024/25 term, which kicks off on the weekend of August 17/18, while others have given fresh kits an early airing.
The Premier League fixtures - all 380 of them - will be released at 9am on Tuesday, June 18, with full coverage on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports' digital platforms.
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