Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Ten-men Cherries grind out draw after Callum Hudson-Odoi cancelled out Justin Kluivert’s opener for the hosts – before substitute Philip Billing is sent off

Time will tell how crucial this point will be for Nuno Espirito Santo and Nottingham Forest but for now, it pushed them up to 16th and crucially, two points clear of Everton in the relegation zone.

Nuno’s time at Nottingham Forest began in December with an agonising last-minute defeat to Bournemouth and here in the reverse fixture, they were saved by a moment of brilliance from Callum Hudson-Odoi on the brink of half-time after Justin Kluivert had given Bournemouth an early lead.

Despite a straight red card for Phillip Billing for a reckless challenge on Hudson-Odoi in the 84th minute, Forest failed to make their man advantage count. Both teams remain without a Premier League win in 2024.

In the end, a draw ended a run of two successive defeats for Forest and after a horrid January, where their problems mounted up from an array of injuries to getting charged by the Premier League for breaching financial rules, this was at least a positive start to February.

Gradually however, it is increasingly beginning to look like Forest’s date of destiny with the Premier League in April will perhaps be their most important contest of the season.

The former Chelsea winger curled in a beautiful goal on the stroke of half-time to make it 1-1

Justin Kluivert (right) had fired Bournemouth into an early lead – but it would not go on to last

Kluivert (middle) converted from close range and gave Bournemouth hope of three big points

Nuno Santo made six changes from Forest’s defeat to Arsenal midweek with a debut for new goalkeeper Matz Sels, in place of Matt Turner and it took Bournemouth just five minutes to score past the deadline day signing, with Andoni Iraola’s two changes combining to make the breakthrough.

Not that the keeper could do much about it either with his defenders failing to mark the Bournemouth players as Luis Sinisterra flicked on Lewis Cook’s corner to the back post, where Justin Kluivert finished into an empty net.

Inside the ground, Sinisterra was announced as the scorer before replays confirmed that Kluivert had indeed got the final touch for his third goal in six games.

Forest responded well with Taiwo Awoniyi testing Neto and they really should have levelled in the 25th minute as Murillo jumped highest to meet Morgan Gibbs-White’s free-kick but Ryan Yates struck the ball too close to Neto, who dived low to his right to make a crucial save.

Yates came close again shortly after but this time his effort was straight at the keeper and it took a moment of brilliance from Hudson-Odoi on the brink of half time to level things up.

The 23-year-old was the creator and the finisher, winning possession and navigating his way through a sea of Bournemouth shirts, before curling a beautiful finish into the far corner past Neto.

Iraola was forced into a change at half time with Marcus Tavernier replacing Antoine Semenyo, who suffered a knock and Bournemouth didn’t waste much time making further changes as Iraola put Phillip Billing and Alex Scott on in the 56th minute in the hunt for a winner.

But it was a rare day where the prolific Dominic Solanke failed to test the keeper. 

Only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have scored more Premier League goals than his 13 this term.

Luis Sinisterra appeared to be Bournemouth’s goalscorer but it was soon corrected to Kluivert

It was a stressful afternoon for both managers as the two sides slugged it out for a point apiece

At the other end, with Chris Wood injured, Awoniyi proved to be a handful for the Forest defence but lacked regular service.

Nuno gave a debut late on to Giovanni Reyna, who signed on loan from Borussia Dortmund on Thursday, in the hope of snatching the three points and after Billing was sent off for sliding his studs down the back of Hudson-Odoi’s achilles by referee Rebecca Welch, Nuno threw on another debutant in Portuguese U20 international in Rodrigo Ribeiro but to no avail.

As Welch – who became the first female Premier League referee earlier this season – blew the final whistle on a tight encounter before Bournemouth could take a corner, she was met with chants of ‘You’re not fit to referee’ from the Bournemouth fans, in what was certainly not a good look for the game.