Nottingham Forest continue their storybook run near the top of the Premier League table this season as they take a 2-0 lead over visiting Southampton.

Forest have a chance to climb level on points with Arsenal after the Gunners stuttered against Aston Villa yesterday, and it was Elliot Anderson who struck for Nuno Espírito Santo’s troops this time to set them away.

With that, Forest are mixing it with some illustrious company in the English top flight as they took the lead for the 18th time in the Premier League this season.

18 – In their 22 Premier League games this season, Nottingham Forest have gone 1-0 up in 18 of them. In the competition’s history, only Manchester City in 2011-12 and 2018-19 have ever done so more in their opening 22 matches of a campaign (both 19). Blocks. pic.twitter.com/BFwiBXDnTd

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 19, 2025

Only Manchester City in both 2011-12 and 2018-19 have managed to better that tally when doing so on 19 occasions, and if that stat is anything to go by, Forest are the real deal.

📸 Dan Istitene – 2025 Getty Images