Nottingham Forest appear to have clinched Premier League survival, but have been given a serious reality check ahead of their season finale.
Chris Sutton has given Nottingham Forest a short reality check ahead of their season finale against Burnley, claiming that Nuno Espirito Santo has performed no better than his predecessor Steve Cooper.
Forest have all but secured their top-flight status ahead of the season’s last game, a situation many in the East Midlands had hoped for as anxiety grew with only a few games remaining.
It is still mathematically possible to be relegated, albeit 18th-placed Luton Town would need a big 12-goal swing in their favour to defeat Fulham at Kenilworth, while Forest lose to already relegated Burnley at Turf Moor.
“This was supposed to be the big relegation decider, but with Burnley down and Nottingham Forest’s goal difference meaning they are as good as safe, there is nothing really riding on it now,” Sutton said in his latest BBC Sport predictions.
The striker-turned-pundit expressed sympathy for the Clarets, describing them as a ‘well-run’ club suffering relegation under ‘brilliant young manager’ Vincent Kompany, but was less complimentary to the squad that will remain in the Premier League.
“Regardless of the points deduction, this will go down as a disappointing season for Forest even though they have stayed up,” he said, before attacking Nuno further: “It is not as if they have kicked on since Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Steve Cooper as manager in December, is it?”
Ultimately, Nuno has turned around Forest’s fortunes in five months, ensuring their place among England’s elite. He took over with 20 games remaining, winning five, drawing four, and losing eleven for a points-per-game average of 0.95.
Cooper’s previous 17 matches resulted in only three wins, five draws, and nine losses, for a points-per-game average of 0.82. Unfortunately for Sutton, the facts do not deceive; if Forest had stayed rather than twisted back at Christmas, they would be three points worse off now, and most likely level with Luton heading into this weekend.
Granted, the club would have hoped to move on from last year’s relegation battle, but in a competitive division, that is not guaranteed. In the next years, there will at least be the opportunity to develop under a seasoned coach like Nuno.
