Latest Nottingham Forest news: Nuno Espirito Santo’s Reds are beaten 3-2 by Chelsea at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest’s head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, insisted that the job was not done after they squandered the opportunity to mathematically guarantee survival at the City Ground.
The Reds’ final home game of the season ended with a 3-2 loss against Chelsea. They had recovered from behind to lead 2-1 with to goals from Willy Boly and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but the visitors flipped the game on its head and took all three points.
Luton Town and Burnley’s defeats in the 3pm kick-offs meant Forest only needed a point to avoid relegation, and the loss confirmed the Clarets’ fate. Nuno’s side is three points ahead of the 18th-placed Hatters going into the final day, although they have a -19 goal difference to their rivals’ -31.
“Of course we are disappointed to lose the game and not be able to give what we wanted to to our fans at the City Ground, which was a victory,” Nuno stated. “That is very frustrating and disappointing for us.
“It’s not over. It is imaginary. But maybe I’m the only one who has seen too much in football to let our guys unwind. We will properly prepare for the next one in order to finish the season on a positive note, as it has been really difficult for all of us as a club.
“Based on previous outcomes, our mission was difficult – mostly due to the opponent we faced and their quality. Chelsea is a really good squad.
“But it was the same pressure we’ve always had. We had the advantage of being able to dictate and complete the task of retaining our Premier League position.
“The first half was difficult, but we recovered and started the second half well. We created numerous nice scoring opportunities. And then we turned off. Within two minutes, the game had ended. There are many things that we should learn.
