Ange Postecoglou's first home game as Nottingham Forest manager ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on September 27, 2025. The defeat at the City Ground means Postecoglou is still searching for his first win since taking charge, leaving Forest without a victory since the opening day of the season.
The decisive moment came in the first half when Omar Alderete headed in from a controversial free-kick. Nicolas Dominguez was booked for simulation after a challenge with Trai Hume, a decision that Forest players disputed. Granit Xhaka delivered the resulting free-kick, finding Alderete who nodded home his first goal for the club.
Sunderland's strong start to the season continued with this win, their third of the campaign, which saw them climb into the Champions League places. For Forest, the loss dropped them to 16th in the Premier League table.
The game was Postecoglou's first opportunity to introduce himself to the Forest fans at the City Ground. He made five changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Real Betis in the Europa League, with Nicolas Dominguez, Dan Ndoye, James McAtee, and Dilane Bakwa coming into the midfield. Chris Wood replaced Igor Jesus up front and took the captain's armband, while Morgan Gibbs-White dropped to the bench.
Sunderland had a chance to take the lead early in the game when Dominguez lost possession inside his own box, but Wilson Isidor's shot went just wide. Forest responded with Chris Wood heading over the bar from a Neco Williams cross. After Alderete's goal, Forest pushed for an equalizer in the second half, but Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs made six saves to deny them. Chris Wood missed a notable chance, heading wide from close range.
Postecoglou urged his players to "keep their heads up" after their recent performances, including the draw against Real Betis in their first European outing in 29 years. He felt his team should have won the game against Real Betis, but he was pleased with their performance. He also highlighted the compelling football his team has played in recent games and the growth of players like Igor Jesus and Elliot Anderson.
Despite the defeat, Postecoglou's influence on Nottingham Forest's style of play is already apparent. In their recent draw against Burnley, Forest had 63.3% possession, the most they have had in a Premier League game since their return to the competition in 2022. They also completed over 500 passes in a Premier League game for the first time in that period. However, he is still without a win in his first five games as Forest boss. The fans booed the team off the pitch at full-time, reflecting their disappointment with the result and Postecoglou's winless start.
