Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo was pleased to see Nottingham Forest maintain their momentum by defeating Luton Town 2-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Ryan Yates and Ramon Sosa scored goals to help the Reds win their seventh consecutive game in all competitions. It prepares them perfectly for Tuesday night’s Premier League match against fellow championship contenders Liverpool.
Nuno picked a completely different starting lineup against the Hatters than the one that defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday. He made it clear that he saw the tie as an opportunity to reward players who had previously struggled for minutes for their hard work in training.
Regarding the results and performance…
“It was good.” It was critical for all players to participate and for us to reward them.
“They had fun playing at the City Ground. Many of them had never played together before, but the work was done quite professionally.
“We were organised and determined. Of course, part of it did not flow well, but it is typical and not that crucial. What was crucial was that we were able to continue (in the competition) and did it in a positive manner.”
Whether Sosa capitalized on his opportunity to impress by scoring and assisting…
“It is not about taking chances. We understand that certain players require more time to adjust, but all new players have an impact on the squad. They demonstrated once more that we have a strong team and are prepared to play.”
On Danilo’s return…
“It was beautiful.” When he arrived at the touchline, all of our fans immediately began singing. It was beautiful.
“It’s fantastic to have him around. As you can see, he is not yet at 100%. However, he can gradually become a viable alternative for us.”
Regarding club unity
“We need to keep going and enhance it. Today, the way the fans began singing alongside us demonstrated that we, the fans, and the city are all one. I feel that bringing everyone together will make us stronger.”
This was the fifth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
“That is the principle and fundamental starting point for everything. They just had a few chances, but (Carlos) Miguel performed admirably.
“We were compact and solid.” Everything must begin there, because we understand that if we are organized and solid, we will always have a chance due to our pace and talent (in attack).
What different XIs reveal about the squad’s strength…
“It didn’t alter my decision because if I didn’t trust them, I wouldn’t start them. We made several adjustments, but the squad’s depth remains. We certainly have room for improvement, but having them all is a positive thing.
“Only Ibrahim (Sangare) is not with us. Aside from that, we have all of them healthy. It’s good since it’ll be tough.”
Maintaining momentum.
“Keep the momentum, spirit, and habit going. It’s always wonderful to arrive tomorrow with a smile and prepare for a tough game. It’s easy when we’re happy.
Looking ahead to Tuesday night.
“Now we’ve got Sunday and Monday. Let us prepare. I’ll be seeing you again before Tuesday, so we’ll discuss it then.”
Regarding James Ward-Prowse’s performance…
“He had a solid game. James is quite professional. He consistently pushes himself. “I’m very pleased with the performance.”
Regarding Yates’ goal…
“It was important. We want goals from anywhere. It was a typical movement we’d been working on. He did great, Ryan. “I hope he does it again.”
