What the papers say: 24 August 2022
A late equaliser for Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday saw Steve Cooper's side pick up a draw away from home — here's what the newspapers are saying about Nottingham Forest this week
The Guardian
Demarai Gray pounces to salvage draw for Everton against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest had just won their first Premier League away point since 1999 but their manager, Steve Cooper, walked into a silent, deflated dressing room at Goodison Park. His players’ post-match reaction was another sign of his team’s rapid progress. The raucous Forest faithful were in the midst of telling the ex-Derby manager Frank Lampard he was getting sacked in the morning when their other target, the former Leicester winger Demarai Gray, pounced on a superb Jordan Pickford pass to rescue Everton’s first point of the season in the 88th minute. Brennan Johnson had put the visitors on the cusp of a second successive league win seven minutes earlier and, but for a late defensive lapse, they would have condemned Everton to a damaging third consecutive defeat.
Amid Forest’s disappointment, however, was an encouraging performance in which the club’s record signing, Morgan Gibbs-White, impressed as a second half substitute. Cooper rightly embraced the positives.
The Times
Everton v Nottingham Forest: Demarai Gray strikes late to secure first point for Frank Lampard’s side
It had been 45 years to the day since Forest had launched their campaign at this venue, winning 3-1 with Peter Withe, John Robertson and Martin O’Neill on the scoresheet. Nine months later they were first division champions and soon conquering Europe. Nothing quite as grand is planned this time around. With seven of their 16 summer signings in the starting line-up, there is some mitigation for Cooper’s side in that wavelengths were, at times, scrambled.
Indeed, it had required the introduction of Morgan Gibbs-White, signed on Friday for an initial £25 million despite Everton’s efforts to hijack the deal, to bring greater purpose to Forest’s performance.
One of the reasons for such an extensive overhaul during the transfer window has been to allow Cooper to influence matches by manipulating the new five-substitute rule. His change in bringing off the haphazard Taiwo Awoniyi would have an immediate, positive effect. The England Under-21 international was deployed alongside Jesse Lingard and behind Johnson and, suddenly, there was polish where before there had been only grease.
The Telegraph
Demarai Gray strikes late to spare Frank Lampard's Everton from Forest disaster
Forest’s transfer window - which, incredibly, is still not “finished” according to manager Steve Cooper - has been at the other end of the activity scale, of course; 16 new signings, of whom seven started at Goodison, with an additional five on the bench.
It was the most recent, and expensive, of those newcomers who helped shift the momentum of the game as Morgan Gibbs-White came off the bench on the hour to help add some direct speed and threat to Forest’s attack.
The fact that Lampard, among others, had shown late interest in the £44m winger, would not have been lost on the Everton manager, or his supporters.
“I think there were a few [clubs] late on who knew he was coming to us and maybe tried to do their job and get involved as well, I understand that,” said Cooper.
“But I’ve always been confident he would come to us, though I never took it for granted. Now he’s here, we’ll work with him and try and give him a new home and become the player we brought him here to be.”
The Independent
Demarai Gray strikes late to deny Nottingham Forest and rescue Everton point
Amid the attention directed towards their 16 signings, their trio of centre-backs were stalwarts of their promotion campaign and Forest were a few minutes from a second successive clean sheet until Everton’s goalkeeper turned playmaker and Gray, perhaps the finest part of Rafa Benitez’s legacy, rode to the rescue for Frank Lampard.
It means Lucas Digne is no longer the lone player to score for Everton this season, which would be concerning enough were he still their left-back, but they sold the Frenchman in January. For much of an open game it seemed that while Forest are Europe’s second biggest spenders this summer, Everton could not buy a goal. If, once again, they could rue Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ill-timed injury, Gray at least found a way of compensating for his absence.
If Forest’s spending formed the backdrop – and Morgan Gibbs-White, who had been on Everton’s radar, debuted as a second-half substitute after his £42.5m move from Wolves – both scorers demonstrated sizeable sums are not necessary to procure talent. Forest’s is a story of continuity and change and both Yates and Johnson are Nottingham-born products of their academy. A year ago, the latter had not even found the net in the Championship so a maiden Premier League goal capped a swift rise.
The i
Premier League: Arsenal’s new weapon, change for Zaha, Tottenham’s forgotten man and a massive Leeds statement
Two points dropped rather than one gained, given Everton’s late goal. But Forest would have taken four points from their opening three fixtures when trying to acclimatise a massive group of new signings. Now come free hits against Tottenham and Manchester City during which they will hope to avoid any shellackings.
That might not be easy. Forest are currently allowing shots at a rate of 20.3 per match, which really isn’t sustainable. Norwich allowed the most shots in the Premier League last season, and their shots-faced-per-game figure was only 16.6. Dean Henderson has been excellent in each of the last two games, but he is not a superhero.
But one positive in defence is the attacking endeavour of Neco Williams, who has replaced Djed Spence wonderfully well. That combination of right wing-back and right-sided forward was Forest’s greatest asset last season; Williams might well be able to replicate Spence’s threat.
The Daily Mail
Manchester United's loss is Nottingham Forest's gain as on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson continues fine early-season form in draw at Everton
Nottingham Forest feel blessed that Manchester United loaned them England goalkeeper Dean Henderson despite having their own problems at Old Trafford.
Henderson made several fine stops at Goodison Park on Saturday and was set for a second consecutive clean sheet until Demarai Gray snatched a late equaliser.
It's not only the saves that have impressed new team-mates but Henderson's influence in the dressing room — something United boss Erik ten Hag will be noting amid David de Gea's struggles.
Deano is a top goalkeeper. He's come in and imposed himself on the squad,' explained Forest's experienced central defender Steve Cook.
The Sun
Everton 1 Nottingham Forest 1: Gray saves Lampard with late goal as Pickford records stunning assist to atone for howler
England goalkeeper Pickford thought he had gifted Steve Cooper’s Premier League new boys a second successive victory.
He could only push away a low strike from Ryan Yates straight into the patch of Nottingham lad Brennan Johnson who gleefully tucked away his gift.
Pickford knew better than anybody that he should have done far better in dealing with Yates’ effort - with at least a push around the post in the 81st minute.
Yet just as Everton boss Frank Lampard had begun to believe he would be suffering a third straight defeat Gray came to the rescue.
And credit Pickford for picking himself up to.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/19550866/everton-1-nottingham-forest-1-gray-pickford-assist/