LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) – Everton secured three crucial points when they beat relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday to ease their own Premier League survival hopes and move five points clear of the drop zone.
There was little to separate the two sides in the opening minutes, but the hosts stepped up the pace and were rewarded in the 29th minute when Idrissa Gueye’s clinical strike from outside the box found the bottom corner past Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Dwight McNeil doubled their advantage in the second half with a low shot from distance, as the Forest camp were left furious after being denied three penalty shouts across the game.
With Everton and Forest being docked eight and four points respectively for financial breaches, Everton are 16th in the standings with 30 points, having played one game fewer than Forest, who sit four points below in 17th place.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
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