A composite image of Arne Slot and Nuno Espirito Santo. Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images and Clive Mason/Getty Images
Former Forest and Liverpool ace Stan Collymore has suggested the Reds could see their title ambitions derailed by Nuno Espirito Santo and his beleaguered squad.
The Premier League clubs do battle again next Tuesday, and after Forest’s first win at Anfield for decades before the season, Arne Slot will certainly take nothing for granted.
previously Nuno was hailed as a perfect fit for Forestand his results have continued to show that he has certainly found a home where his goals and those of his staff are aligned.
Nuno Espirito Santo showing his courage at Forest
with Slot sending notices to his Liverpool team As for the individual form of certain players, it seems clear that the Reds have behind-the-scenes concerns to attend to if they are to continue at the summit of the Premier League.
Of course, there’s no real worry as Liverpool have a six-point cushion over their nearest rivals which could increase to nine with a game in hand.
However, complacency will become their enemy if teams start to screw them over, and a draw against Man United followed by their Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham showed signs that Slot’s side will not it’s everything
“I’m absolutely delighted that two of my clubs, one I left to go to the other, are going head-to-head in what could be a massive game in terms of where the title could end up,” Collymore told CaughtOffside by itself exclusive column.
“Although with Liverpool it is not so much a surprise, it is with Forest, and I think that what Nuno Espirito Santo does for them week after week is to return to what football is.
“Defend your own half and your own box, get a foot in the game and then spit at teams.
Can Nuno Espirito beat Arne Slot again?
“They are putting all the disciples of Pep to shame, managers like Russell Martin who thought by just turning up and playing from the back they could do something in the Premier League.
“(…) No-one predicted this would happen with Forest, and I don’t think anyone would have looked at the group of players they have and said they were going to be anything other than, at best, an average team table
“Maybe they finish in mid-table, who knows, but I think that to be up to this point in the season and to be where they are, we can say that Nuno has rejuvenated his career.
“(…) There are 1000 ways to skin a cat, and right now, Forest is skinning it. Their approach has been an absolute joy to watch, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they pick the bird out of the liver next Tuesday in what is sure to be a cracking game.”
With 18 games of the season still to play, there is plenty of time for the Premier League table to take a completely different shape.
However, Nuno and his Forest team have already shown beyond doubt that they have what it takes to stay the course.
Economical in their desire to attack, the Portuguese have clearly taken the ‘simplicity is genius’ route.
Forest isn’t trying to be what it’s not, and it’s doing what it’s best at.
With a clear buy-in from the players, this makes them absolutely a threat as we head into the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
