Nottingham Forest edged past Southampton 4-3 in a thrilling contest at the City Ground on Monday evening.
A Taiwo Awoniyi brace was followed by goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Danilo for the Reds which secured a huge three points. Steve Cooper's side are now out of the bottom three with just three games left.
Forest are next in action on Saturday as they travel to Chelsea in search of just a second away win in the league this season. Their final two fixtures are at home to Arsenal before a trip to face Crystal Palace on the final day.
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Here is how the national media reported on the game at the City Ground...
BBC Sport, Simon Stone
Nottingham Forest came out on top in a seven-goal thriller at the City Ground to climb out of the bottom three and leave Southampton on the brink of relegation.
In a raucous atmosphere on a rain-soaked night, Forest established a two-goal cushion on three occasions - and each time the visitors responded to pull themselves back into the contest.
But Southampton couldn't manage an equaliser. Now they must win all three remaining games and hope either Forest don't pick up another point, or Everton fail to get more than one, otherwise they will be back in the Championship for the first time since 2012.
In contrast, Forest have their fate in their own hands.
Taiwo Awoniyi scored his first double for the club in the space of three first-half minutes, profiting first from Danilo's superb cross-field pass that allowed Brennan Johnson to set him up to volley home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
The Guardian, Ben Fisher
A few minutes before kick-off, as has become tradition, Steve Cooper emerged from the Nottingham Forest tunnel to a wall of noise, another feverish atmosphere. Then, before taking a seat in the home dugout, Cooper inhaled deeply and a prolonged puff of the cheeks followed.
Perhaps he had anticipated the wild ride that was to play out over the course of 101 minutes of white-knuckle action. It is, Cooper said, a price he is willing to pay if the results keep coming.
This was not a night that was good for the blood pressure but by the end Forest, courtesy of a Taiwo Awoniyi double, Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty and a decisive strike by Danilo, had wrapped up a brilliant win over the bottom club Southampton and a precious three points, breathing life into their bid for Premier League survival. With three games to play – trips to Chelsea and Crystal Palace, on the final day, bookend a date at home to Arsenal – Forest’s heads are above water.
Mathematically, Southampton can survive but it will take a miracle from here. Southampton’s players, sullen-faced, gathered, largely hands on hips in front of the travelling fans. James Ward-Prowse, a little withdrawn and extremely deflated, looked deep into the stand. It was all a stark contrast to Gibbs-White embracing pitch security staff as Forest completed their victory lap to the thud of Just Can’t Get Enough.
“I think the boys showed character,” Rubén Sellés, the Southampton manager, said. “They wanted to come back, they wanted to play. We ran out of time.” Perhaps it was no surprise that this game was played at a breathless pace given both teams’ pressing need for points.
Mail Online, Lewis Steele
A drenched Ruben Selles trudged over to the away end with a look of guilt and a resignation that his work has not been good enough to keep Southampton in the Premier League.
Barring a miracle in the final weeks, their 11-year stay in the top division will end and Selles’ players, some of them looking on the verge of tears, know their days at this level are numbered and the only thing missing now is the big, fat R next to Saints’ name in the league table.
They were picked apart by Nottingham Forest in a 100-minute match that might look like an even thriller on paper but, in reality, was a convincing and well-deserved home win. Taiwo Awoniyi scored his first brace for the club, Morgan Gibbs-White and Danilo added the others.
Saints’ away following stayed long after the final whistle to applaud their team who stood in the rain with an apologetic look on their faces. They’ve spent 196 days in the bottom three so fans have had time to process the blow but now the equation is simple. Win every game or go down.
It would be unfair to blame the Spanish boss for this monumental mess of a season but his appointment would stand out as one of the worst in Premier League history if not for the second of three men to occupy his seat this season, Nathan Jones, who won just one league game.
The Sun, Graeme Bryce
Taiwo Awoniyi answered Forest fans' prayers with the first half double which helped haul Steve Cooper's side clear of the relegation zone.
Then praised the Lord for helping him find the strength to end his seven-match drought when it mattered most.
The Nigerian lit the touchpaper on this epic seven-goal thriller, stunning Saints with a rapid double in three-and-a-half deadly first half minutes before lifting his shirt to reveal a message close to his heart.
Hallejuh - Hosanna - Psalm 3 v 5 - Peace.
It seemed a fitting tribute because this was a Premier League basement battle of biblical proportions.
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