Nottinghamshire

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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Match of the Day and Sky Sports after the defeat by Brentford: "Not a good performance - something that we have to analyse.

"Normally solid over the top of our defence, but credit to Brentford. They defended well and didn't give us much - disappointing night.

"I don't say it was because of the semi-final. It was high demands from a fitness aspect but we should have defended better.

"It's a bad game. I'm not really worried about the table, more how to correct the mistakes.

"Credit to Brentford but the situations we should solve normally with better defending. We are disappointed but it's about reacting and going for the next one.

On Brentford's long balls: "Something that we knew that Brentford does, but we should have done better."

On Forest's European hopes: "For the run-in, we have to find better solutions - a better game, better defending and better at creating opportunities.

"There are still four games to go, a lot of football to be played. We have to focus on ourselves and play better football."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest have lost three of their past four Premier League games, as many as in their previous 16 beforehand.

• They have also lost back-to-back home matches without scoring in the league for the first time since December 2023 under Steve Cooper.

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Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga spoke to BBC Match of the Day after defeat at home to Brentford on Thursday: "We've been really solid in defence this year. We lost in the semi-final the other day and we've lost today. We need to regroup for Monday.

"We forgot about the game at Wembley and wanted to start strong today. The goals we conceded weren't like us.

"We have to go game by game. We need to start winning and put ourselves in the best position possible and that starts with Crystal Palace."

Did you know?

• Since their return to the Premier League in 2022, Nottingham Forest have won just one of their 16 games in the competition in which they have had at least 51% of the possession. Against Brentford, they had 55% possession.

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport Journalist

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After losing Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, Nuno Espirito Santo said Nottingham Forest have the five "biggest games of our careers" to wrap up in the Premier League.

With the prospect of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 1980–81, Forest needed to move on quickly.

However, form was against them, having lost three of their last four outings in all competitions prior to the visit of Brentford, and it proved to be another frustrating outing.

Forest, as they did against City at Wembley, looked fatigued and were unable to impose themselves on the game.

Brentford fully deserved to lead through Kevin Schade at half-time with Forest unable to mount a meaningful effort on goal.

The hosts did show an improvement early after the restart and could have levelled when Anthony Elanga forced a fine save from Mark Flekken.

It was Flekken who set up Brentford's second with a long ball picking out Yoane Wissa, who finished with a cute chip to take his league tally to 17.

With at least five places up for grabs in the Champions League, Forest - who sit sixth - are by no means out of the race and trail third-placed Newcastle by just two points.

But this was their game in hand on the sides above and a golden opportunity to take full control of their destiny - now they must rely on others to drop points while also finding a way to get back in their groove.

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This is a tough game for Nottingham Forest to bounce back in after the disappointment of losing their FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Forest did play well in the second-half against Manchester City, but the challenge for them here is to reach that level again. They need a win for their top-five hopes, and they will have to play well to get it.

Brentford are always dangerous and their form has picked up over the past couple of weeks, but as a boyhood Forest fan I am going with my heart over my head with this one.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Make your own prediction here, external

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Nottingham Forest will be disappointed with how Sunday's FA Cup semi-final went but going to Wembley to play a Manchester City team that have been there so often they would have known the odds were stacked against them.

That result now means Thursday's Premier League match at home to Brentford is now absolutely huge.

It is the first of three matches remaining at the City Ground and they really need to win all three to have that platform to reach the Champions League.

Thursday is their game in hand and the psychological impact of leapfrogging Chelsea, City and Newcastle into third would be immense.

After losing in such a big game for the club, it is that psychological side of the game that is so important to Forest now. They do not have the deepest of squads so it is all about being mentally switched on and having the highest levels of concentration.

They have had to rely on their resilience, physicality, counter-attacking and compact defensive block all season so nothing will change in terms of gameplan from here on out.

They have developed into a ruthless and clinical team that maximises its opportunities and they have to get back to that as quickly as possible. They have to remember what has got them into this position.

With five games remaining and a huge chance to reach the Champions League, the more inexperienced players could feel the pressure, but Nuno Espirito Santo has kept his squad grounded and humble all season.

Other teams may have a psychological advantage because of their experience, but Nuno's side have been consistent all season. He will be ensuring that they do nothing different now in terms of preparation and performance.

Thursday is a game they will believe they can win and their mini-season starts there.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

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It is "only a matter of time" before success returns to Nottingham Forest, says former forward Nigel Jemson.

It is 35 years since the club last won a major trophy - Jemson the goalscorer in the 1990 League Cup final win - and they fell short of a chance at silverware after suffering a 2-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Fa Cup semi-final on Sunday.

However, having narrowly avoided relegation last season, Forest have propelled themselves up the league to be competing for European football spots.

"We've got an owner who is very ambitious, has put his money into the club, and we're making gigantic strides again," Jemson told East Midlands Today. "What we have done this year, people wouldn't have though we would do.

"I'm sure the good times are here now to stay. I don't want to tempt fate, but we are going to be playing in Europe next year, which is a phenomenal achievement.

"We have a great squad at the moment and Nuno, after what Steve Cooper did, has done phenomenally well and it's lifted the city.

"We are hoping now this current squad are the third era of this football club and long may it continue. If we keep playing as we are doing, doing good things on and off the pitch, then good times are around the corner for sure."

Having sat in the top three for a large amount of the campaign, Forest are currently sixth on the same points as Chelsea, but could return to the top three with victory in their game in hand against Brentford on Thursday.

"I know everyone wants to play in the Champions League and rightly so, it would be great financially for the football club," Jemson said. "But if you go back to the start of the season I would have happily taken 10th.

"We are making huge progress, so whether Champions League or Europa League, we are going to be representing Forest in Europe for the first time in a long time

"If we can continue to make progress and work hard then it is only a matter of time before we bring success back to the club."

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Only Southampton (182) and Fulham (181) have forced fewer high turnovers than Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this season (201). Despite this, Forest rank second for goals scored from high turnovers this term (nine) behind only Liverpool (10).