Nuno Espirito Santo says high-flying Nottingham Forest will adopt a “no-excuses” policy for their Premier League clash with Manchester United on Tuesday after a draining FA Cup quarter-final at Brighton.
Forest won Saturday’s match at the Amex on penalties after the match finished 0-0 to set up a last-four meeting with Manchester City.
Forest boss Nuno revealed that every player in his squad is being assessed ahead of the visit of United, but whoever is available he expects the push for Champions League football to continue without pause.
Two-time European champions Forest have not played in Europe’s top club competition since 1980 but they are third in the Premier League, five points clear of fourth-placed Chelsea with just nine games to go.
It is almost certain that a top-five finish will secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
“No excuses. Don’t give anyone excuses,” Nuno said on Monday. “We’re going to go. We’ll assess the players, we’ll prepare for the game and we’re going to compete.
“It’s very difficult on the players but they are recovering well. They are always being positive so we are confident we can perform against a good team.
“These short turnarounds are all about recovering and fortunately the match is in the evening so it will give us the day to finalise the details, so we will be OK.”
Prolific striker Chris Wood missed the victory over Brighton because of a hip injury sustained on international duty for New Zealand and he remains a doubt against Ruben Amorim’s United.
“He is improving. He’s getting better day by day. We have to assess him day by day,” Nuno said.
“It’s all about him being pain-free and then getting back to fitness. He has a big contusion. It’s very painful.”
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
