Brennan Johnson double earns Nottingham Forest battling draw against Everton

Steve Cooper's side come back twice in Premier League survival duel with Sean Dyche's men

Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Everton at The City Ground in Nottingham, England, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo / Rui Vieira)

Brennan Johnson scores Nottingham Forest's second goal. Getty

Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton scores their second goal. Getty

Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton scores their second goal. Getty

Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton celebrates after scoring the second goal. Getty

Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton celebrates after scoring the second goal. Getty

Brennan Johnson scores Nottingham Forest's first goal past Everton's Jordan Pickford. Reuters

Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson scores their first goal past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. AFP

Brennan Johnson of Nottingham Forest celebrates after scoring their first goal. Getty

Everton's Demarai Gray scores their first goal from the penalty spot. PA

Everton's Demarai Gray celebrates scoring their opener with Dwight McNeil. Reuters

Nottingham Forest's Jonjo Shelvey fouls Everton's Dwight McNeil to concede a penalty. Reuters

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Reuters

Nottingham Forest's Jonjo Shelvey brings down Everton's Dwight McNeil to give away a penalty. Reuters

Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, punches the ball clear under pressure from Nottingham Forest's Joe Worrall. AP

Felipe of Nottingham Forest beats Demarai Gray of Everton to a header. Getty

Everton's Demarai Gray rlies injured. Reuters

Everton manager Sean Dyche react. Getty

Everton's Jordan Pickford saves from Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood. Reuters

Nottingham Forest's Serge Aurier clashes with Everton's Demarai Gray. AFP

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White clashes with Everton's Dwight McNeil. Reuters

Nottingham Forest's Remo Freuler in action with Everton's Alex Iwobi. Reuters

A double from Brennan Johnson earned a crucial point for Nottingham Forest in a 2-2 draw against Everton in the scrap for Premier League survival.

A 10th-minute Demarai Gray penalty put Sean Dyche's visitors ahead at the City Ground on Sunday before Johnson grabbed an equaliser on 19 minutes.

But Everton got their noses back in front after 29 minutes through a header from Abdoulaye Doucoure

Then Johnson came to Forest's rescue when he struck a sweetly placed shot into the net in the 77th minute.

Steve Cooper's side are undefeated in their last nine home games in the Premier League. The draw means they are in 14th place on 26 points and maintain their four-point cushion above the relegation places.

Everton are third bottom from bottom on 22 points, below Leeds on goal difference.

Goodison Park manager Dyche has managed just one victory in five games since kicking off his tenure with a shock victory against league leaders Arsenal.

Everton were thumped 4-0 by Arsenal on Wednesday and are in danger of being relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1954.

Arsenal 4 Everton 0 - player ratings

They began the match at the City Ground as the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season and are still without injured England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

But they took the lead after 10 minutes when Jonjo Shelvey brought down Dwight McNeil to give away a penalty that Gray converted. It was his first goal since January 3.

It was only the seventh time Everton have scored away in the league this season but Forest were level within nine minutes.

A low shot from Morgan Gibbs-White was parried away by Jordan Pickford, but Johnson was there to find the net from close range.

Everton were back in front in the 29th minute when Doucoure found space inside the box to head past Forest keeper Keylor Navas after series of aerial duels following a Pickford free kick.

Three of Everton's four goals under Dyche have come from set-piece.

Both sides were up for the fight and a string of fouls meant referee John Brooks had to issue a series of yellow cards.

But Forest kept their composure and rescued a point in the 77th minute.

A pass from Ryan Yates found Johnson on the edge of the box and the forward drove into the area before curling a classy finish into the top corner to boost Forest's survival hopes.