The final whistle celebrations showed how important this victory was for Nottingham Forest.
It has been a tough campaign for them since Nuno Espirito Santo took them seventh in 2024-25, their highest finish in 30 years.
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He was sacked in September before Ange Postecoglou lasted 39 days as Forest manager, then Sean Dyche became the side’s third of the season.
He picked up 13 points from his first eight games in charge, although four successive league losses had left them only four points above West Ham before Tuesday’s game.
Dyche and the Forest fans would have worried the gap might close to one point, despite the visitors playing well in the first half but trailing to Murillo’s own goal.
Neco Williams had a 20-yard effort superbly tipped over by Areola when the score was goalless and Callum Hudson-Odoi was unlucky to see his strike bounce off the bar when the home goalkeeper was well beaten.
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But Forest scored an equaliser through Nicolas Dominguez within 10 minutes of the second half and had to survive some pressure before Morgan Gibbs-White kept his composure to score the match-winning 89th-minute penalty.
Forest still have plenty of work to do to ensure their own safety, but these three points gives them some breathing space.