Nuno aims to keep Premier League ‘title challengers’ Forest grounded

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo warned that too much praise is not good for his players ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on Monday that Forest are in the title race given Nuno’s men are in third place, just six points off the top of the table.

Forest have won their last six league games and are the only side to have beaten Liverpool in the league this season when they met at Anfield in September.

That run of form has fuelled talk of the two-time European champions following the example of Midlands rivals Leicester, who shocked the football world to win the title as 5000/1 outsiders in 2015/16.

Nuno, though, is wary of believing the hype surrounding Forest.

“Nothing changes in our approach,” the Portuguese coach said Monday. “When we do things good we should be pleased, but too much compliments can distract us, so we don’t want to pay too much attention.

“It was the beginning of the season (the victory at Anfield), maybe it was a surprise, but it was a long time ago, many things have changed.

“No one in this room could ever predict what is happening. It is the ambition and desire to do things well and the hard work of the players and commitment.”

Even if an audacious title challenge proves beyond Forest, they are well on course to return to the top level of European football for the first time since 1980.

A top-four finish would guarantee Champions League football next season, with fifth place also likely to be enough due to a strong start from English clubs in European competition this term.

And Nuno believes his squad can get even better in the final 18 league games of the campaign.

“We are improving through the competition, I truly believe the more time the players spend together the better they can play together,” he added.

“I see a good group of people, more than players, that want to do things together. This is important, the togetherness, this is what I really value.”