Nuno Espirito Santo was fast to minimize Nottingham Forest’s possibilities of successful the Premier League title forward of internet hosting leaders Liverpool on Tuesday.
Forest discover themselves third within the desk heading into the encounter on the Metropolis Floor, degree on factors with Arsenal and 6 behind Arne Slot’s facet.
They’ve gained every of their final six Premier League video games, whereas a win over Liverpool will see them equal their longest ever league successful run of seven, set 4 occasions beforehand (February 1893, December 1906, October 1921, and September 1979).
Forest stay the one staff to beat Liverpool within the top-flight this season, having inflicted Slot’s first defeat in command of the Reds in a 1-0 victory again in September, incomes them their first Premier League away win at Anfield since February 1969.
Liverpool supervisor Slot mentioned in his pre-match press convention that Forest had been real title contenders this marketing campaign, however Nuno remained targeted on Tuesday’s sport fairly than the surface noise.
“If we begin desirous about ifs… it’s if, if, if, if. That’s why we all the time attempt to method how we’re going to put together ourselves, how we’re going to play the sport. On the finish of the sport there will likely be no ifs,” Nuno mentioned.
“We attempt as a lot as doable to disregard what’s round. We by no means change, it’s the method we see issues, it’s the best way we see the competitors, it’s the best way we see life. Day-by-day, concentrate on our duties. Tomorrow is one other powerful one.
“Once we do issues properly, we ought to be happy, however too many compliments can distract us, so we don’t wish to pay an excessive amount of consideration.
“We’re right here to compete towards all the groups and I feel we’re doing properly, however nothing modifications in our method, which stays the identical.
“We all know what we will do and the way we wish to do issues. We all know one another, our strengths and weaknesses. So let’s play the sport.”
Nuno additionally revealed he didn’t have a particular plan for Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah, who has scored two objectives in 4 appearances towards Forest within the top-flight.
Salah has been in tremendous kind for Slot’s facet this season, registering a division-high 31 objective involvements (18 objectives, 13 assists) within the 19 matches he has performed to this point.
16 of the Egyptian’s 18 Premier League objectives this time period have come within the second half of video games. Within the competitors’s historical past, solely Salah himself has scored extra for Liverpool after half-time in a single marketing campaign (18 in 2017-18).
Nuno, nevertheless, highlighted the standard of Liverpool’s squad everywhere in the pitch, additionally acknowledging their shows within the Champions League, in addition to the Premier League.
“Salah, Diaz, Gakpo, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Konate, Trent… high quality in every single place. A incredible staff,” Nuno added.
“They’ve proven, not solely within the Premier League however in Europe, how good they’re.
“It’s about us realising this and dealing with the sport with the true respect essential to play towards Liverpool.”
