Nottingham Forest bounced back from a Bournemouth battering last week to thrash Brighton 7-0 at the City Ground on Saturday lunch-time.
Chris Wood scored a hat-trick along the way, making him the first Forest player to score three goals at home since Nigel Clough in 1987.
But the New Zealand international – who moves up to 17 goals for the season in the Premier League – was not the only one to impress for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams and Jota Silva all scored after Lewis Dunk netted an own goal to begin the rout in the 12th minute.
Chris Wood managed a record that had stood for nearly 40 years at the City Ground
Reuters
The victory puts Forest level on points with Arsenal but third on goal difference – though this would have done their goal tally no harm at all.
For Brighton, it is the first time this season that they have suffered back-to-back defeats in the Premier League.
But Forest’s dream of rivalling Liverpool and Arsenal for the title remains truly alive after a complete performance where everything clicked into place.
At the back, Nuno’s side have a titan in Nikola Milenkovic, sided by Murillo and Morato.
Forest tweaked the system from last week, reverting to a back-three as opposed to the back-four that shipped five goals to Bournemouth last weekend.
The result was sheer domination as Brighton’s midfield became completely swamped by Elliot Anderson and Danilo – making his first appearance of the season since a broken ankle suffered eight minutes into the opening Premier League match of the campaign.
Ola Aina and Williams provided width on either flank and were tigerish in their efforts to win back the ball and push Forest’s backline up the pitch.
And despite only having 37 per cent of possession, only Forest truly threatened to score – apart from one excellent save from Mats Sels to deny Danny Welbeck in an effort that needed goal-line technology.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White gave Brighton problems all day
Reuters
Gibbs-White’s low cross was diverted into his own net by Dunk but the electric Anthony Elanga gave him nightmares all day as Wood converted two of his crosses with ease.
Gibbs-White doubled the lead from a corner before Forest’s talisman took control, completing his hat-trick after the break with a penalty.
Brighton crumbled late on as Williams and Silva added late goals to make it a humiliating day in the Midlands for the Seagulls.
As for Forest, they travel to Exeter City next to play in the FA Cup before a trip to the capital to face Fulham.