Nottingham Forest continue their remarkable ascent under Nuno Espírito Santo. A club that was one place above the relegation zone when Nuno arrived 12 months ago climbed to second in the Premier League with a comfortable win against Everton. The Champions League might not be a fanciful dream after all.

The outstanding duo of Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White scored the goals that secured Forest’s fifth victory in a row, equalling the club’s Premier League record set in April 1995. A controlled and incisive team performance also enabled Forest to win at both Everton and Liverpool for the first time in the same league season since 1898-99. Sean Dyche’s team were unbeaten in six home league games before Forest’s visit but were ineffective and vulnerable throughout.

“We are enjoying it, especially because our fans are enjoying it with us,” Nuno said. “Let’s enjoy the journey together. But nothing changes. We have to realise we haven’t achieved anything yet. We are competing in a very tough league and it will be tough until the end.

“I’m very happy today because we competed very well. We scored a beautiful goal, we were dominant in both boxes and could have scored more – a bit more composure in the final moments would have helped. I’m immensely proud.”

Nuno was forced into a late change of personnel and system when Murillo pulled up with an adductor injury in the warmup. The defender was replaced by the winger Ramón Sosa, prompting a switch to 4-4-1-1, but the disruption had no discernible impact on the Forest display. The visitors again performed with a confidence and clarity befitting their impressive league position. And Wood again provided a potent, intelligent threat.

The New Zealand international had already gone close with two attempts, heading over from an Anthony Elanga cross and shooting wide from distance, before giving Forest the lead in style. “The goal was beautiful,” Nuno said.

Wood’s 11th goal of the season originated from a pinpoint pass down the middle from Gibbs-White. The striker cushioned a header to Elanga, who nodded the ball back to Wood inside the area and removed two Everton defenders from the equation in the process. Wood allowed the ball to bounce and Jordan Pickford to advance before lofting a delicate finish over the Everton goalkeeper and under the crossbar from 12 yards out. It was the touch of a forward at the top of his game, and a lead that was rarely troubled.

Everton had picked up valuable points and belief in draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City – but creative they are not. Armando Broja made his first start for the club in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and, just like the benched centre‑forward, was left to chase scraps all afternoon.

Iliman Ndiaye did create a good early chance for himself when turning away from Nikola Milenkovic and Morato, only to blaze over from the edge of the area. Jarrad Branthwaite also should have done better with a free header from Ashley Young’s corner shortly after the opening goal but failed to connect cleanly. In the main, however, Dyche’s team were short of ideas and sloppy in possession. They would have had more problems had James Tarkowski received a second yellow card in first‑half stoppage time for a foul on Wood. Everton’s captain in the absence of the injured Séamus Coleman escaped further punishment. His team did not. Dyche introduced Jesper Lindstrøm for the struggling Jack Harrison at half-time but Forest remained sharper, solid and dangerous.

The visitors doubled their advantage when capitalising on a defensive mix-up between Tarkowski and Vitalii Mykolenko. The pair left an Abdoulaye Doucouré pass to each other just outside the Everton area. Elanga pounced on the lack of communication and found Wood. The goalscorer added an assist to his name when picking out Gibbs-White, who cut inside Doucouré and beat Pickford with an emphatic finish.

“The second goal is farcical from us,” Dyche said. “You can’t give away goals like that, especially against a side in this form who are renowned for being difficult to break down.

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“It was very disappointing, especially because in the first half our players did the opposite of what we had asked of them. We didn’t offer what I expected us to deliver and Forest did the basics better than us in the first half. We wanted to play quickly, get the ball forwards quickly and ask questions by playing a tempo game. We did completely the opposite, passing it slowly around the back and not asking many questions, particularly in the first half.”

Pickford produced a triple save to prevent Sosa, Neco Williams and Sosa again from adding a third. He made an excellent double save in the final minute to deny Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi as they broke through on goal. Everton improved in the closing stages, the introductions of Calvert‑Lewin, Beto and Nathan Patterson injecting some overdue positivity into their play, but could do nothing to stop Forest’s rise.