'Beat Liverpool and Forest are in the title race'

When Nottingham Forest look Liverpool astatine nan City Ground adjacent week it will beryllium a top-of-the-table lucifer that hardly anyone could person predicted backmost successful August.

Nuno Espirito Santo's broadside are six points down nan leaders aft Monday's 3-0 triumph astatine Wolves and triumph complete nan Reds - who they hit earlier successful nan play astatine Anfield - connected Tuesday, 14 January will only summation title talk.

From finishing 17th past season, amid off-field chaos and a four-point conclusion for breaching untung and sustainability rules, Nuno has transformed nan side.

Only now are questions astir their title credentials being asked, testament to nan calm waters astatine Forest and Nuno's expertise to play down moreover nan highest praise.

Even if it was lingua successful cheek, nan head quipped successful his station lucifer news convention astatine Molineux that he will not look astatine nan array pinch Forest third, only down Arsenal connected extremity difference.

"I don't know, possibly nan extremity of nan play I'll return a look. I committedness you guys I will," he smiled.

"We are trying to build thing bully together. We person to bask nan journey, thing other matters. The array doesn't matter. We conscionable support connected going."

The Portuguese will not beryllium capable to deflect nan attraction aliases questions for overmuch longer, though. Asked straight astir nan Liverpool crippled he pointed to nan sojourn of Luton successful nan FA Cup 3rd information connected Saturday.

"I'm sorry to not reply your question, but this is nan reality. We must hole good for that game," he said.

"The FA Cup is important and it is simply a bully chance for america successful position of nan squad. We tin springiness minutes to players, because it is simply a very agelong play and we request each nan players to person minutes. They request to person fittingness and rhythm. So first, Luton."

Forest are nan only squad to hit Liverpool successful nan Premier League this play and should they do nan double complete Arne Slot's side, it will beryllium much than conscionable a connection of intent.

"If they hit Liverpool they are successful nan title race," said erstwhile Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher connected Sky Sports.

"What I would opportunity correct now is if nan Champions League goes to nan apical 5 positions they person comberan 1 hellhole of a chance."

Forest fans are now daring to dream astir a return to Europe for nan first clip since nan 1995-96 season, pinch Champions League qualification now a realistic possibility.

They are 5 points supra fifth-placed Newcastle, six up of Manchester City.

"It would beryllium perfectly incredible," said midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who scored Forest's opener against his erstwhile club. "There will beryllium a fewer fans who mightiness beryllium capable to acquisition it twice. To beryllium capable to springiness them that opportunity again is what we really want to do arsenic a club.

"The proprietor believes successful it, we judge successful it. We conscionable person to return it crippled by crippled and not get up of ourselves. Stay calm and enactment humble."

England leader Thomas Tuchel, who was astatine Molineux, will person been impressed by Forest's ratio and nan ruthless measurement they dispatched their hosts.

Gibbs-White made his elder debut nether interim leader Lee Carsley successful September and will beryllium a contender for a spot successful Tuchel's first squad, erstwhile England look Albania and Latvia successful World Cup qualifiers successful March.

The midfielder said: "I didn't moreover cognize he was here. I'm conscionable focused connected nine football. We will spot what happens erstwhile March comes. But now I cognize [Tuchel was here] I've comberan a grin connected my face."

Gibbs-White's seventh-minute extremity gave Forest a important level arsenic they improved their points tally to 40 from 20 games.

Forest's triumph astatine Wolves - which besides featured goals from Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi and a terrific goalkeeping show by Matz Sels - came connected nan 50th day of Brian Clough's assignment astatine nan club.

The legendary head turned Forest from a 2nd section broadside into English champions successful 3 years and followed that pinch successive European Cup triumphs successful 1979 and 1980.

Nuno said: "It intends a batch for america because Brian Clough is simply a fable of nan club. You tin spot it each complete Nottingham, successful our stadium and successful our training ground, references to Brian Clough. That tin only animate us.

"But we person to support connected going. Our happiness is based connected really nan players are moving together; this is what makes america really proud and happy."

It was only fitting Nuno recognised nan anniversary. Two Forest managers who could not beryllium much different successful their personalities but, while he has a agelong measurement to go, Nuno could soon beryllium talked astir successful a akin activity arsenic Clough if he returns Forest to Europe's apical table.