Tottenham are still searching for their first goal of the Premier League season as they drew 0-0 at Nottingham Forest.

2026/2027 Premier League

0-0

Match Report

Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances, but it looked like Forest had found the breakthrough after Williams' brave attempt to head it over the line, but they were denied due to a handball.

Omar Marmoush had Spurs' best opportunities, finding an opening in either half, but Roberto De Zerbi's side are still waiting for their first league goal of 2026-27.

After a cagey opening to the match, Murillo swept a volley high over the bar from a recycled corner before James McAtee tamely shot straight at Antonin Kinsky following a blistering counter-attack.

But Marmoush had the first clear-cut opportunity after getting goalside of Williams, but he flashed his shot just wide of the post while one-on-one with Matz Sels.

Forest continued to up the pressure in the first half, and Jair Cunha fired just over before Morgan Gibbs-White aimed straight at Kinsky after racing in behind Spurs when it looked easier to score.

Micky van de Ven headed wide as Spurs wasted corner after corner in the opening stages of the second half, but the defining moment came 66 minutes in.

Gibbs-White raced in behind the visitors' defence once more and saw a low shot loop up off Kinsky. Sandro Tonali missed the ball as he attempted to clear and Williams threw himself onto it, bundling it over the line. However, it hit his hand before crossing the line, with the decision overturned following a VAR review.

Marmoush blazed over late on after being played in on goal by Kinsky – though Mohammed Kudus had been in a great position to convert had he chosen to play him in – and neither side could find a late breakthrough.

Finishes level. pic.twitter.com/N9sCeltmd6

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 5, 2026

The wait goes on for De Zerbi

It was clear Forest felt hard done by at the end of the match, with only the finest of margins denying Oliver Glasner his first win in charge of the Tricky Trees, though they have now registered back-to-back draws against Liverpool and Spurs.

But De Zerbi will have his concerns; despite walking away from the City Ground with their first point of the season, Spurs have not scored in the Premier League this season. 

They have failed to have a shot on target in the first half of four of De Zerbi's 10 Premier League games, with only Aston Villa failing to do so on more occasions in that timeframe (five).

And that trend continued in the second half. Spurs had 12 shots overall without testing Sels, who was making his 100th Forest appearance, despite accumulating 1.57 expected goals (xG).

Forest, by contrast, also had 12 shots worth 0.65 xG, but got two on target.

It is the first time since November 2021 that Spurs have endured a run of three straight goalless games, while this is only the second season (after 1974-75) that they have failed to score in their opening three matches of a league season.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

8' Highlight from Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

9' Tel whips in a cross, the defender handles the ball, but no penalty is given

13' Murillo volleys over the bar

17' Marmoush shoots wide from a one-on-one chance

28' Gibbs-White volleys over the bar

31' Cunha shoots over the bar

43' Kinsky saves Gibbs-White's effort from a one-on-one chance

52' Match Event for Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

54' Highlight from Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

56' Match Event for Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

59' Igor Jesus and Muñoz come on as substitutes

61' Kudus comes on for Savio

66' VAR confirms a handball, and Neco Williams' goal is disallowed




73' Mudryk makes a Premier League appearance again after 663 days


83' Match Event for Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

88' Solanke's header over the bar

Line-ups

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Schlager, Milenkovic, Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye, Neco Williams, Liam Delap, McAtee, Jair Cunha, Murillo

Subs: Wood, John Victor, Hudson-Odoi, Ryan Yates, Dominguez, Daniel Muñoz, Luca Netz, Igor Jesus, Ousmane Diomande

Tottenham XI: Bentancur, Omar Marmoush, Gallagher, Tonali, Porro, Jan Paul van Hecke, Udojie, Van de Ven, Kinsky, Sávio, Tel

Subs: Dubravka, Robertson, Solanke, Marcos Senesi, Mohammed Kudus, Mudryk, Gray, Bergvall, Mateus Fernandes