Nottingham

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club that Nottingham Forest "don't over-play or over-press" and their performances have been a collective effort.

"Nuno [Espirito Santo] has his own identity and people may view that as negative but they have a lovely balance. And for all the criticism of the owner - and he has been heavily criticised over the past couple of seasons, and some it deservedly so - he is an owner who is super-ambitious.

"They've got the pace in wide areas and the skill in Hudson-Odoi and Elanga. They don't concede many goals and Milenkovic has been a sensational signing.

"And Chris Wood is banging the goals in. People call him old-fashioned but I think that's slightly unfair. He's an excellent centre-forward."

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Nottingham Forest would like to take 19-year-old Bayern Munich winger Mathys Tel on loan, but the France Under-21 international has no plans of leaving the Bundesliga giants this winter. (Sky Germany), external

Edu is set to take up a role within the network of clubs controlled by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, after resigning as Arsenal's sporting director. (Times - subscription required), external

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John Bennett
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

That was a statement performance by Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Many of the home supporters sitting around me were talking about it being the best they’ve seen the club play since the 1990s and the statistics back that up: The biggest Premier League victory since August 1996, ending a day in the top three of the top-flight for the first time since September1998 and making it three back to back wins in the Premier League for the first time since 1999.

There are so many individuals you could pick out for praise in the Forest side right now. Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic compliment each other perfectly at the back, Chris Wood is getting numbers close to Erling Haaland levels and Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga look dangerous on every counter-attack.

After watching Saturday’s game inside the stadium though, I have a question for Forest fans: Are the full-backs the unsung heroes in your team? They were both superb against West Ham so I certainly think so.

Ola Aina was mostly up against Crysencio Summerville, a player not only full of confidence after his goal against Manchester United but also full of tricks and the Nigerian hardly gave the former Leeds winger a kick. Brian Laws, a brilliant full-back for Brian Clough’s Forest in the late 1980s and early 1990s, was singing Aina’s praises in the press box for the way he was closing down Summerville. Then at the other end of course he scored a goal of the month contender with a left-foot screamer. What a great all round performance.

As for Alex Moreno, he also made the defensive work against the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta look easy. On top of that he was also there to support and cut inside or outside of Hudson-Odoi, creating the crucial opening goal for Chris Wood with a clever run and perfect cross.

What a time to be a Forest fan. Everywhere you look on that City ground pitch there are players in the form of their lives. This is going to be a special season for the red side of Nottingham.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Nottingham Forest fans:

Luke: Without question the best win of our time in the Premier League. So much freedom and confidence in the team, it’s hard to not get carried away with where this season may take us. Must be tempered with the reality that West Ham were awful, but maybe it was us that made them look that bad? Can’t wait until the next game!

Matt: We’re a totally transformed team from our first 2 seasons back in the Premier League. Cohesion at the back, a threat at going forward. Still early days but to be third from top instead of third from bottom is something else! Nuno has worked extremely hard with these players and is getting the rewards! Three wins on the bounce!

Kris: Forest were irresistible, the back four immense with Moreno and Aina creating and scoring goals. Wood is thriving under Nuno and Anderson came on to show everyone why losing MGW wasn’t the blow it could have been. Third in the league…it’s like the Clough years are back on Trentside!

Ken: Contenders. City, and Arsenal definitely beatable and we've already beaten Liverpool on their own pitch and drawn with Chelsea. We have one of the most talented squads in the league, with excellent quality cover for every position and a truly superb coach at long last. If Leicester can do it, why can't we? Let's see how far we go! No fear.

West Ham fans:

Liam: I was there. We were hopeless. The body language of the players said it all. No communication, no pace, no plan and no desire. Manager will soon run out of time. Forest were everything we were not so fair play to them. Ten men or not, I suspect the result would have been the same.

Joe: The rhetoric will be the mistake was to get rid of Moyes. Wrong, the mistake was hiring Lopetegui. It's 12 competitive games now and I am still no clearer on what his style of play is or what his strongest team is. He’s clueless and the players are clearly not playing for him - Alvarez red and our constant capitulations when going behind are clear examples.

Matthew: Same old West Ham. No energy, no desire to get the ball forward and a real lack of cohesion appearing in the increasing cracks within our squad. Paqueta looks like he doesn't want to play for us anymore, we'll never get a goal at the City Ground and Chris Wood will keep on scoring against us till he's 49!

Roger: After 10 games there has been no discerning improvement. The strategy is lacking as is an absence of in-match tactics. The team are vulnerable at the back and the midfield absent at critical phases of the game. I can’t see that things are going to improve while Lopetegui remains.

Ex-West Ham manager David Moyes and former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker have spoken on the BBC's Football Daily podcast about Nottingham Forest's superb start to the Premier League season.

Moyes: "Chris Wood has been fantastic and I'm really pleased because we spoke earlier [in the podcast] about the lack of centre forwards, but Wood is a bit of an old-fashioned target man and his spell at Forest is as good as he's had for a long time.

"I think they've got a really balanced team at the moment. The manager took some time to settle in there, but he's now getting used to the club, they're getting used to him and they're picking up great results.

"It's very difficult when you're in that position, there are some really good teams below Nottingham Forest, which will mean it will take a bit of doing to hang in there. We've had it a couple of times at West Ham recently, where it becomes so hard to hang in with the level of sides below you."

Reo-Coker: "I think they will be able to maintain it because they don't have to worry about Europe.

"Sometimes, when you've got certain players, managers don't always play to their strengths. With Chris Wood, you've got the two wingers who are providing service and using him at his best. When a striker starts getting goals and feeling confident, it's only going to get better.

"I think Forest could achieve something special this year."

Listen to more analysis of the weekend's action on BBC Sounds

English midfielder Lewis O'Brien, 26, looks set to make a permanent £7m move to Los Angeles FC when his loan from Nottingham Forest ends in January. (Sun), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 2-1 Brighton

• Wolves 2-2 Crystal Palace