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• Villa victory a big moment for high-flying Forest, says Nuno

  Nuno Espirito Santo believes Nottingham Forest's comeback victory over Aston Villa – which lifted them into the Premier League's top four – was a statement result.

  Forest looked set to be leapfrogged by Villa when Jhon Duran's second-half header put Unai Emery's men ahead at the City Ground, but two late goals turned the game on its head.

  Nikola Milenkovic levelled with a powerful header in the 87th minute, then substitute Anthony Elanga swept home in the 94th minute to hand Forest three huge points.

  They now sit fourth in the table ahead of Manchester City's clash with Manchester United on Sunday.

  With 28 points from 16 games, they have made their best start to a top-flight campaign since 1994-95, when they had the same number at this stage and finished third.

  Following Forest's fourth win in their last five home league games, Nuno praised his players for the mental resilience they showed after falling behind.

  "It is a big moment. It is a huge moment. After the team went down the reaction was good," Nuno told Sky Sports. "The players gave everything and had a desire to go beyond football.

  "The fans were a big part in the game today. They helped the team and it goes beyond football, moments like this. It is about the heart and desire of the boys.

  "We played against a very good team. After the goal, the game opened up and the spaces were there. 

  "It pleases me and I give huge credit to them. I gave them another day off! It is easier to work on good results."

  Forest emerged as the winning side despite trailing after 86 minutes and 14 seconds – the latest they have ever been behind in a Premier League game before going on to win.

  They go to Brentford next week before hosting Tottenham on Boxing Day, which could prove to be a vital matchup as they battle for European qualification.

  "We try try every day to build something nice that we can identify with the club, with the city," Nuno continued. 

  "It is an important moment that we feel when things go against you and you react... that is what I appreciate the most. 

  "I think it is about enjoying. We are working very hard. We are working with clear plans of improvement and building the team. 

  "We are competing with all the clubs. Our way is about organisation and belief. It is about taking advantage of the moment we have, and the boys did well today."

• Rayo Vallecano 3-3 Real Madrid: Champions frustrated in six-goal thriller

  Real Madrid missed the chance to leapfrog Barcelona at the top of LaLiga as they played out an absorbing 3-3 draw with lowly local rivals Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

  Playing their final domestic game before they jet off to Qatar to face Mexican side Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday, Madrid were made to pay for a series of defensive errors at the Estadio de Vallecas.

  Rayo stunned Los Blancos by surging into a two-goal lead within 36 minutes, Unai Lopez opening the scoring with a fourth-minute header before Abdul Mumin nodded in their second from an Isi Palazon corner.

  However, a thunderous long-range strike from Federico Valverde gave Carlo Ancelotti's men a lifeline within three further minutes, then Jude Bellingham dragged them level with a first-time finish shortly before half-time.

  Rodrygo gave Madrid the lead for the first time with a deflected strike from the edge of the area 11 minutes into the second period, but there was to be one final twist.

  Palazon added a goal to go with his earlier assist, getting between Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni to deflect a cross into the net and secure the 13th-placed hosts a valuable point.

  Madrid remain second in the table on 27 points, having now played as many games as Barcelona. The Blaugrana can go four clear at the summit when they host Leganes on Sunday.

   

  Data Debrief: Rayo still Blancos' bogey side

  Madrid looked to be on course for a comeback victory on their short trip to Vallecas, with Turkey international Arda Guler at the heart of their fightback with assists for Valverde and Rodrygo as they went 3-2 up.

  At the age of 19 years and 293 days, he became the youngest Madrid player to lay on multiple assists in a single league game this century.

  However, poor defending was the champions' undoing as they dropped points for the fourth time in their last five visits to Rayo in LaLiga (one win, two draws, two defeats).

  This is the first time they have failed to win on three successive trips to Vallecas (two draws, one loss).

• Jamaica’s U-20 women’s Head coach Hugh Bradford balances immediate preparation with long-term development

  Jamaica’s Under-20 Women’s Head coach, Hugh Bradford, is steering a new generation of players toward next year’s Concacaf Women’s qualifiers, with the immediate focus being to sharpen their skills in the Jewels of the Caribbean Women’s Tournament.

  The invitational tournament, set to kick off in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, provides a critical platform for preparation as Jamaica gears up for high-stakes competition in February.

  Bradford’s young Reggae Girlz will compete against teams from Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and two squads from Trinidad and Tobago—the Red Angels and White Angels—in the week-long friendly tournament, which concludes on December 20.

  Though a bit concerned that his players might be a bit sluggish coming out of a four-day camp, Bradford underscored the value of the tournament.

  “The tournament will be good for the players that are able to attend. They will be a bit tired having just finished a four-day camp today, but these matches are essential for building chemistry and testing their abilities under game conditions,” Bradford told SportsMax.Tv.

  

  Bradford enters this phase of preparation with a relatively new roster, as only retained three or four players from last year’s squad, which had a successful run to the Under-20 Championship but failed to progress beyond the group stage.

  Though this means starting from scratch in some areas, the United States-based coach is optimistic about the team’s potential.

  “This is a new team, so we’re still getting to know them. The players have a solid foundation for the most part. Right now, it’s about working on getting them used to each other’s abilities and finding cohesion as a unit," Bradford explained.

  While his team’s journey to the qualifiers has already involved several training camps, where players have been putting in quality work, Bradford admitted there’s room for improvement in fitness—a priority as the February qualifiers draw closer.

  “The fitness level needs to be better, so we will put in some work on that side, both at camp and at home,” Bradford declared.

  The young Reggae Girlz are drawn in Group D for the Concacaf Women’s U-20 qualifiers, where they will face Nicaragua, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

  It will be a high-stakes qualifier for all and sundry, as only the winner from each group will advance to the 2025 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship to join pre-seeded powerhouses, the United States and Mexico.

  

  With that in mind, Bradford pointed out that the goal is clear—surpass their performances from last year.

  “The target is to get the roster set and get through the first round so we can continue to work on improving for the championship. Training has been good, and the players are responding well. I wish we had a few more camps, but we’ll make do with what we have,” Bradford shared.

  As such, he again welcomed the Jewels of the Caribbean tournament as a litmus test for the team’s readiness and adaptability, as the variety of opponents will challenge the young players to adapt to different styles of play.

  “These matches are crucial for seeing how the players perform in real-time situations. It’s also an opportunity to fine-tune strategies and build their confidence,” he ended.