David Moyes highly praised the players' fighting spirit and focused attitude during the game.

Despite being plagued by injuries, David Moyes led his team to a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, capping off a year of significant progress with an outstanding performance. He expressed pride in the team's performance after the match. Previously, Michael Keane and Carlos Alcaraz were sidelined with injuries, and several key players, including Kiernan Dieusbury-Hall, Eliman Ndiaye, and Idrissa Gueye, were also unavailable.  

Everton secured their ninth away win of 2025 thanks to a 19th-minute goal from Man of the Match James Garner and a second goal from Thieno Barry in the 11th minute, following a brilliant pass from Garner. This victory in the East Midlands brings the team to 59 points for the year, a figure they have only surpassed since 2013.  

David Moyes stated that this highlighted the positive progress the club has made both on and off the pitch. He specifically praised the in-form James Garner, as well as the finishing of Nathan Paterson, Merlin Roll, and Tyler Diblin in the starting lineup. The manager said, “The players were outstanding today. We were a bit worried before the game because we had eight players out injured, almost a third of the squad, and many of them were starters. Therefore, this victory is thanks to the substitutes, who did their job when they came on.”  

"This shows that as long as we continue to do the right thing, it is possible to achieve the desired results. Although we didn't perform well against Burnley, we still got 4 points from the two away games, so the overall performance was not bad. On the defensive end, we have conceded the fewest goals in eight or nine games in the past month, which is especially impressive considering the strength of other teams. Today you also saw the full commitment of every player on the field."  

David Moyes continued, "It's difficult to praise any one player individually, but I must point out that since Jack O'Brien returned to center-back, his partnership with Tacki has remained outstanding. As for the goalkeeper, the current clean sheet record has been a key factor in our victories."  

"There has been a lot of positive feedback about Jimmy Garner this season. Tonight, his performance was perfect. He not only scored a goal but also assisted Thieno Barry. It's hard not to praise Jimmy; he's been in excellent form lately. Tonight, his performance was particularly noteworthy, a well-rounded and brilliant display throughout the game."  

Everton's victory in the NG2 league brought a perfect end to the team's year of hard work. David Moyes acknowledged the team's continued progress and expressed his gratitude for the fans' unwavering support.  

He said: "I think the club is making steady progress. Everyone knows that we have higher goals to achieve. We are improving our infrastructure, and hopefully this will help us reach those goals. This process will not happen overnight; it will take time and patience."  

“If we can continue to receive this kind of support and encouragement as we did tonight, everyone has a great chance. Especially at Hill Dickinson Stadium, we need this kind of support to win games. The players deserve this attention because they have been working very hard. I think the players have performed exceptionally well since I came here a year ago; they have always given their all and taken the game very seriously.”