Morgan Gibbs-White inspired Nottingham Forest to a vital 3-1 victory over Fulham which eased their Premier League relegation concerns.

Gibbs-White put in a virtuoso display in a golden first half which saw Forest cruise into a 3-0 lead.

After setting up Callum Hudson-Odoi’s opener, he watched as Chris Wood made it 2-0 before completing the scoring with a fine finish on the stroke of half-time.

That sublime opening 45 minutes laid the foundations for just a second league win of 2024 for Forest and the first since they were deducted four points for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules last month.

That opened up a three-point gap over Luton, who occupy 18th position and visit title-chasing Arsenal on Wednesday night.

Forest had to endure a nervy time as Tosin Adarabioyo’s header gave Fulham a lifeline and the visitors spent most of the second half knocking on the door.

The Cottagers needed a late comeback to earn a point at bottom-placed Sheffield United on Saturday but they could not repeat the feat here as they paid the price for a shambolic opening half-hour.

Forest made a flying start by going ahead in the ninth minute.

A fine turn from Gibbs-White created space for himself and he set Hudson-Odoi away with an audacious outside-of-the-boot pass.

The former Chelsea winger did the rest, advancing into the penalty area before cutting inside and firing into the bottom corner.

Gibbs-White was in the mood and he almost laid on a second for Hudson-Odoi with another fine piece of skill, making a fool out of Tosin, but his team-mate could not finish as Bernd Leno came out well to block.

Leno will not want to see replays of the moment Forest did double their lead in the 19th minute.

Wood received the ball with his back to goal 25 yards out, turned and seeing Leno take several steps to his left, planted a shot into the opposite corner, which was totally unguarded.

The hosts were electric and should have been 3-0 up soon after but Anthony Elanga clipped the post after a one-two with the vibrant Gibbs-White.

Fulham boss Marco Silva had seen enough and made a triple substitution after 33 minutes.

Alex Iwobi, Sasa Lukic and Harry Wilson were hauled off for Tom Cairney, Adama Traore and Willian, but the changes did not stem the tide.

Forest capped off a golden 45 minutes with another brilliant goal in first half added time as Gibbs-White played a one-two with Danilo and slotted home into the bottom corner.

What a difference 15 minutes can make as Fulham came out after the break and immediately gave themselves hope.

Tosin climbed highest from Andreas Pereira’s corner and glanced a looping header into the far post.

Willian and Cairney both had shots blocked as the visitors continued to push, but Forest came within inches of killing the game as Neco Williams cut inside and saw a deflected effort crash off the crossbar.

They needed that to go in as Fulham continued to push with Tosin denied by a fine save from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, with Kenny Tete heading the resulting corner against the crossbar.

Willian was a whisker away with a curling effort and Traore thundered a shot into the post, but Forest held on for a seismic victory.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min described their 3-0 defeat at Fulham as “unacceptable” and urged his team-mates to use it as a wake-up call.

Spurs entered this fixture on a high after an emphatic victory at Aston Villa last weekend.

It meant fifth-placed Tottenham could leapfrog Villa and reclaim fourth spot with all three points at Craven Cottage, but they were blown away as Rodrigo Muniz continued his excellent form with a goal either side of half-time.

Sasa Lukic also found the net after 49 minutes with his first goal for Fulham, who have now won four of their last six matches.

“Yeah, it is very disappointing and very frustrating,” Son told Sky Sports.

“Everybody has to look in the mirror and say, ‘it was my fault’ because it was not good enough. It was not near the level where we put the effort all season.

“This time it was very, very disappointing. The attitude, the performance, it was not good enough. I think everyone needs this as a big wake-up call.

“It is unacceptable. You always have lessons and including me it was unacceptable that performance and the result.

“We make two steps backwards and now need to make a strong step forwards because after the international break we have massive game and it will be very crucial.”

Tottenham started poorly and could have conceded twice inside the opening 11 minutes, but Cristian Romero made crucial blocks to deny Muniz and Andrea Pereira.

The visitors eventually regrouped and went close through captain Son and James Maddison, who both failed to hit the target from inside the area and Fulham punished Spurs in the 42nd minute.

Antonee Robinson produced an excellent cross from the left, which Muniz controlled before he side-footed into the bottom corner.

It was 2-0 immediately after half-time when Lukic deflected in Alex Iwobi’s cross with his knee and Muniz wrapped up the scoring after 61 minutes.

Calvin Bassey’s effort was parried onto the post by Guglielmo Vicario and Muniz bundled in for his seventh goal from his last seven matches to consign Tottenham to a painful defeat.

Boss Ange Postecoglou expressed his disappointment and doubled down on his previously stated notion that Champions League qualification is not crucial for the development of his team.

“The second half after we conceded the second one, we just didn’t reach the levels of intensity and tempo we’ve had all year,” Postecoglou reflected.

“Then it was very hard for us to get any kind of control or traction in the game. It seemed like we were chasing the whole time, so it was a disappointing night for us.”

On missing out on the chance to return to fourth, Postecoglou replied: “I don’t see fourth as the prize.

“This club has finished fourth before. It’s finished second before.

“Fourth is not my end goal. I don’t want to finish fourth if we haven’t grown as a team and developed as a team.

“Success is built on, I think, more tangible stuff. If we finish fifth and if I think we’ve got a team to challenge next year (after the summer transfer window), then I won’t be disappointed.”

Fulham boss Marco Silva toasted another fine result, with this win making it four from their last six matches, which includes victories over Brighton and Manchester United.

“If not the best (performance), one of the best,” Silva insisted.

“The first half was the best of the season because the players did it brilliant. It was almost perfect.

“A crucial moment to score and it was really important to score two quick goals to kill the game.

“A well deserved three points.”

Rodrigo Muniz scored twice as Tottenham missed out on the chance of moving into the Premier League top four after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Victory would have meant Ange Postecoglou’s side moved a point ahead of Aston Villa but the north Londoners instead finish the weekend in fifth.

Muniz’s double took his top-flight tally to seven goals in his last seven appearances on a day where the Cottagers shone in west London.

Sasa Lukic scored his first goal of the season as Marco Silva’s side bounced back from last week’s 2-1 defeat by Wolves at Molineux.

Fulham looked to strike an early blow through the in-form Muniz, who was freed into a pocket of space. After his initial shot was blocked by Cristian Romero, Andreas Pereira’s rebound narrowly missed Guglielmo Vicario’s right-hand post.

The hosts’ momentum continued and after Romero was called into action again to block Pereira’s close-range attempt, Muniz proved to be a handful when he outmuscled Radu Dragusin with his back turned to goal, setting the tone for a physical encounter.

Willian was enjoying himself. The experienced 35-year-old, who had a knack of scoring goals against Tottenham in his Chelsea days, looked to punish them again but his first-time effort was stopped by Vicario who got down quickly to keep the scores level despite a one-sided opening period in favour of the hosts.

Spurs rode the storm and began to create chances of their own.

Destiny Udogie exploited space to run in down the left and his cutback found James Maddison on the edge of the area. The England international’s body position suggested he was going for the far post but he opted to go near, dragging his effort wide instead of the open net which Fulham keeper Bernd Leno left unoccupied.

Fulham’s efforts deserved a goal and they got just that. The electric Antonee Robinson broke away and he delivered a perfect ball to the dangerous Muniz before the Brazilian forward performed an intricate touch and powered home into the left-hand corner.

The Cottagers had played the perfect game up to this point and it continued after the break when they doubled their lead.

Fulham’s full-backs had been allowed space all game and this time it was Timothy Castagne’s turn to maraud forward. The right-back’s cross met the thigh of Lukic who had made a late surge into the box and the ball fizzed past the helpless Vicario for a second time.

Muniz’s spectacular run of form took another turn. The forward was well positioned in the box to scrap for the loose ball and claim his brace before he was serenaded with a standing ovation when he was substituted minutes later.

Joao Palhinha thought he added a fourth but referee Robert Jones deemed the strike offside after an interference from Raul Jimenez.