Nottingham Forest won back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in the 2022-23 season as Brennan Johnson's brace propelled the Tricky Trees to a 2-0 win over Leicester City at the City Ground.
The Welsh starlet struck twice after the half-time whistle to extend the hosts' unbeaten run at the City Ground to eight games in all tournaments, while adding fuel to the fire surrounding Brendan Rodgers's future as Foxes manager.
The deadlock should have been broken with 15 minutes on the clock, but Harvey Barnes just could not connect with Marc Albrighton's peach of a cross, much to the chagrin of the Foxes faithful.
Nottingham Forest's brief moments of final-third pressure also counted for nought as the game remained goalless in the first half, with Barnes likely still replaying his missed gilt-edged opportunity in his head.
The ground swallowing up Barnes would have undoubtedly been a dream for the wasteful Englishman, who squandered another brilliant chance at the start of the second half, and this one would prove costly.
With 56 minutes on the clock, Johnson was played through by Morgan Gibbs-White and skipped past Danny Ward before slotting home, and the Welshman had timed his run to perfection to stay onside.
Johnson's goal was awarded following a quick VAR review, and Leicester's half-hearted attempts at an equaliser proved futile as the game entered its dying embers.
Rodgers cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, and the Leicester boss surely resigned himself to defeat in the 83rd minute, with the Gibbs-White and Johnson connection proving lethal once again.
Gibbs-White turned away from Wilfred Ndidi before playing the ball out to the right for Johnson, who advanced into the box and found the far corner with aplomb.
Jubilation turned to concern from the home crowd in the 90th minute as goalkeeper Dean Henderson went down after taking a goal kick, although the Manchester United loanee played through the pain with no further substitutes available.
Victory for Steve Cooper's men allowed them to rise as high as 13th in the table, swapping places with Leicester, who now find themselves 15th and only two points clear of the drop zone.
Forest return to the road when they take on Bournemouth on the South coast next week, while the Foxes host Brighton & Hove Albion in their next top-flight battle.
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