Wood scores twice as Forest defeats Leicester City

Chris Wood struck twice in Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win at Leicester as the New Zealand striker condemned Foxes boss Steve Cooper to defeat against his former club on Friday.

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Ryan Yates put Forest ahead in the East Midlands derby at the King Power Stadium before Jamie Vardy levelled for Leicester.

The in-form Wood restored Forest’s lead and netted again with his seventh goal in nine matches this season.

Forest’ second successive victory lifted them into fifth place in the Premier League.

They have lost just once in nine league games this term, proving their decision to sack Cooper and hire Nuno Espirito Santo was a shrewd move.

Cooper was facing Forest for the first time since his dismissal in December.

The 44-year-old spent two years in charge of Forest, guiding them from the bottom of the Championship back to the Premier League after a 23-year absence before being axed with the club just above the relegation zone.

Nuno saved Forest from the drop, while Cooper was hired by promoted Leicester in the close-season to replace Enzo Maresca after the Italian’s move to Chelsea.

Forest’s first win at Leicester since 2013 was sweet viewing for Nuno, who had to watch from the press box as he served the second game of a suspension.

Aged 37 years and 288 days, Vardy is the fourth oldest player to score in successive Premier League appearances, after Teddy Sheringham, Ryan Giggs and Graham Alexander.

Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen made a superb save to repel Nicolas Dominguez’s close-range volley when the Forest midfielder looked certain to score.

Hermansen made another fine stop to keep out Callum Hudson-Odoi’s blast from the edge of the area.

But the Dane was beaten again in the 47th minute when Wood deftly controlled Elliot Anderson’s