The mist rolled in with such ­increasing density from the Trent that even­tually it was difficult to make out which Tottenham player was running down which blind alley. But what is crystal clear is ­Nottingham Forest’s momentum which, after Anthony Elanga’s third goal in successive games, has lifted them into third place in the Premier League.

Nuno Espírito Santo, Forest’s former Spurs manager, has organised his team so efficiently that they now have 34 points from 18 games, more than in the whole of last season – and the same tally they had at this stage in 1987‑88 when Brian Clough was ­manager, eight seasons after the European Cup had been retained.

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No manager in Premier League history (with at least 50 games under their belt) has seen his games ­average more than the 3.6 goals that have flown in during Ange Postecoglou’s reign. Not against Nuno, though. Forest’s fourth consecutive Premier League win came with a seventh clean sheet, the best in the division, and only Liverpool and Arsenal have conceded fewer than their 19 goals in the top flight this season.

The numbers are all stacking up for Forest but what is equally pertinent, before attentions turn to ­Tottenham’s failings, is the heart and soul at the City Ground, the communal ­synergy between team, manager and ­players, the roar echoing around this ­wonderfully old-fashioned ­stadium. “The table doesn’t mean anything,” Nuno said, ­emphasising his age‑old belief in process and humility.

“What’s beautiful is seeing the City Ground like this. The belief is here. [But] that doesn’t hide the reality. We didn’t achieve anything yet and we have two days to rest and recover and compete against Everton. We believe we can compete as long as every player understands. The fans should enjoy this together.”

Most focus will fall on Tottenham’s continued stresses as, after the 6-3 demolition by Liverpool on Sunday, they have now won only twice in nine games. This was their first defeat on a Boxing Day in 17 games but, with Djed Spence sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card against his former club, Postecoglou has to deal with at least one more defender’s absence for their next game, at Wolves on Sunday. With Radu Dragusin going off with a sore ankle, the Spurs manager could have bemoaned his poor fortunes.

Instead, in a post-match press conference lasting less than three ­minutes, he praised his players’ efforts, even if there was a subtext reminding everyone that he could do with reinforcements in the transfer window which opens next week.

“It was always going to be a tight game here,” the Spurs manager said. “The boys worked hard and we tried to generate as many opportunities as we could considering the context of the game and how Forest play. We just couldn’t get over the line.

“We are asking a lot of this group of players. A lot of these guys are ­playing every three days, [so] it’s only ­logical they are not going to be at their ­sharpest but they are trying.”

Even as Spurs dashed and probed, dominating possession, Nuno’s ­current team looked poised to inflict damage on the ­counterattack. ­Brennan Johnson, forming an ­ex‑Forest right flank with Spence, was given a warm welcome back to the City Ground as he was ruggedly felled by Elliot Anderson; Forest were clearly up for the fight.

When Elanga scored it did not come against the run of play even if Spurs, with their territorial ­advantage, might have claimed to be con­trolling the match. When he has a team playing how he wants, though, which was never the case in his 17 games in charge at Spurs in 2021, Nuno knows how to control games without the ball.

The goal epitomised the precision under pressure that Forest possess, even at pace. Good pressing midway in their own half allowed ­Morgan Gibbs-White to pick up the ball and drive forwards in a situation in which he so often thrives. He must dream about this, like a labrador puppy chasing a tennis ball in his sleep. The England man travelled a third of the pitch before dispatching the perfect through pass, right in behind Destiny Udogie, so that Elanga did not have to break stride as he opened up his body and cut the ball, left-footed, over Fraser Forster into the far corner.

Johnson almost equalised either side of half-time, with Matz Sels making excellent contrasting saves. “We cannot ignore Matz made huge saves to keep us in the game,” Nuno said, refusing to look beyond the next game at ­Everton when asked about the possibility of qualifying for Europe.

With Udogie back in at left-back and Rodrigo Bentancur shielding the back four, Spurs’ absences might have been less keenly felt against lesser opponents. With the goalkeeper ­Guglielmo Vicario and the ­defenders Ben Davies, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero still out, however, Postecoglou was given more substance for his argument that new signings will be required in January.