Chris Wood’s Remarkable Premier League Renaissance with Nottingham Forest

Chris Wood, the New Zealand striker for Nottingham Forest, is making significant waves in the English Premier League. With seven goals in nine games this season, Wood has become one of the top scorers in the league, only surpassed by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and closely followed by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

Wood’s resurgence began when Nuno Espirito Santo took over as the manager of Nottingham Forest. Since Santo’s appointment, Wood has scored 18 goals in 25 games, a streak that has been instrumental in Forest’s climb to seventh place in the league. His goal conversion rate is the best in the league, with all seven goals coming from just 18 shots.

After a challenging period at Newcastle United, where he had limited playing time and scored only four goals in a year, Wood’s move to Nottingham Forest has revitalized his career. Initially restricted to a bench role under previous manager Steve Cooper, Wood’s fortunes changed dramatically with Santo’s arrival. He has now become a key player for the team, scoring 69% of Forest’s goals this season.

Despite his current form, Wood is facing a fitness scare ahead of Nottingham Forest’s match against West Ham. Along with teammates Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, and Jota Silva, Wood is a doubt due to a knock he sustained. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo is assessing the players’ conditions and will make a decision closer to the match.

Wood’s career has seen several highs, including a successful stint at Burnley where he scored 49 goals in 144 matches. His recent hat-trick against Newcastle United, his former club, marked a significant milestone, making him only the fourth player in Premier League history to achieve this feat against a former team.