Nottingham Forest

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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking after Monday's victory against Crystal Palace: "I saw it was difficult but so I'm happy we can finally give this moment to our fans, always helping and supporting us so I'm especially delighted for them.

"It says a lot about the game itself when Matz [Sels] is one of the best players in the team. They are very good, always pressing and so much talent. We are delighted Matz did a very good job and kept us in the game.

"We are delighted but it's not what is important, what guides us. What guides us is the level of performance, to sustain is always the difficulty.

"We want to raise the bar and sustain that level. Before the break we showed how we must play football, we have to run more than them, cover, always have bodies in front and this is what is important.

"It is the spirit and bond so we can progress as a team. It is how we do things."

On goalscorer Chris Wood: "Amazing, we are delighted with not only his goals.

"All his actions in the game, how he leads the team, his set-pieces and more than all that is the impact he has in the dressing room. His leadership, he is a very experienced player for the young lads. We cannot thank him enough."

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Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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There will be a sense of injustice emanating from Nuno Espirito Santo's seat in the stands.

The boss will watch Nottingham Forest face Crystal Palace this evening from the Peter Taylor Stand as he starts his three-match ban.

Nuno was hopeful he would avoid serious punishment for his outburst following Morgan Gibbs-White's red card in the 2-2 draw at Brighton.

That the Key Match Incidents Panel - which reviews the big refereeing decisions each week - was split on whether it was correct to issue a second yellow card to Gibbs-White only adds to the frustration.

Forest are still searching for their first home win and they will need to do it without the talismanic Gibbs-White - injured but banned anyway.

Victory would also end any lingering fears about the home form and Palace come to the City Ground still winless in the Premier League.

If Forest want to progress this season, it is a game they need to win.

Borussia Dortmund's English winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, 20, is drawing interest from Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest – though the German club want more than £50m for the player before they will consider selling. (Caught Offside, external)

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

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week eight, he takes on legendary boxing manager Kellie Maloney.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Crystal Palace need the win more, that is for sure. You can tell by listening to their manager Oliver Glasner that he knows he needs a positive result quickly, just to get that spark from last season back.

Glasner wants to play this expansive brand of football but results mean a bit of doubt has crept in, and that is really evident from their performances.

This all points towards a Nottingham Forest home win, which is what I am going with, but the good news for Palace is that every time I predict one of those, they stuff it up - Forest are yet to win at the City Ground this season.

Kellie's prediction: Forest are playing well and Palace need a win. I am going with a draw. 2-2

Read the rest of their predictions, and have your own say here

Image source, Opta

With the October international break now firmly in the rearview mirror, Opta Analyst, external have turned their attention to the next four Premier League fixtures.

Here, they have given each team a ranking between 80 and 100 and then found the average to determine to difficulty of the schedule.

Liverpool's opening seven matches were ranked the easiest in the league, but their upcoming four are the fourth-toughest in the division. They will face Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Brighton, with an average opponent strength of 91.4 before the next international break.

Fellow early pacesetters Arsenal also have challenging fixtures, playing Bournemouth, Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea with an average rating of 90.7, while Manchester City's next four against Wolves, Southampton, Bournemouth and Brighton are ranked the third-easiest by Opta.

Chelsea and Brighton have the second-hardest and third-hardest runs respectively, a real test given the promising starts for their new managers Enzo Maresca and Fabian Hurzeler.

At the other end of the table, Leicester - who recently secured their first win of the season against Bournemouth - have a chance to build with the easiest run in the division. They face Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich and Manchester United.

Fellow promoted side Ipswich will hope to pick up their first win of the season during a run of games that is ranked the fifth-easiest.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport Researcher

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He reacted to receiving a three-game touchline ban: "I'm surprised. It's a big sanction but there's nothing we can do. It's not for me to judge. My job is to move forward and make sure the coaching staff are ready to help the team. We had a hearing, everything was normal. The sanction has been decided. Let's go."

• On the impact of not being on the touchline: "It's tough. We're going to be in permanent contact and what is important is that we prepare well and the players are ready to compete."

• On Morgan Gibbs-White receiving a one-match ban: "It's not nice when you don't have a player available. It's not in the right moment, he's still injured. Hopefully for the next game he's going to be available."

• Nuno was reluctant to give a timeframe for Gibbs-White's return: "He went out with a lot of pain [against Chelsea] and is still recovering. He's getting much better, but it's still going to take some time. It's always a day-by-day assessment with the medical department and the player. For now, he's not available against Crystal Palace."

• Nuno assured that Nigerians Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi are back to normal after the incident on the international break: "As soon as it happened, the club reached them and tried to see what was going on. It was a mess. They arrived a couple of days ago and are working normally. They have overcome that. It was an incident and it's not more important than that."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray believes the £750,000 fine by the Football Association for a social media post after last season's defeat at Everton is a statement sum to warn other clubs off doing the same.

The FA called the post an "attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale", but Forest said they would appeal against what they described as a "disproportionate" fine.

"It is a lot of money and it is clearly a message to show that the FA don't want other clubs doing the same," said Fray on the latest episode of the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.

"Forest are sticking to their guns with the fact the tweet is still there for a start, and they are appealing to try to at least get the fine reduced in value.

"We will see what happens as that appeal goes on, but given the size of the fine and Forest's stance on it, I can see why they have opted to appeal.

"This has dragged on now for a long, long time, which emphasises the importance of it to the FA and the Premier League. Perhaps Forest are being perceived as a rebel club or rebel city and the big fine is their attempt to quash that."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode on BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast, David Jackson and Colin Fray discuss the £750,000 fine imposed on Nottingham Forest for a social media post after last season's defeat at Everton, plus they discuss what is required for Forest to end their wait for a home victory this season.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

He's the third-quickest player in the Premier League this season, and he plays for Forest.

He's also sprinted more than anyone else in Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

But do you know who it is?

Find out here

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I wrote in August that a season of anonymity on and off the pitch would have represented progress for Nottingham Forest after the chaos of 2023-24.

However, last week's £750,000 fine from the Football Association, following April's controversial social media post directed at VAR Stuart Attwell, put the club back in the spotlight.

The FA called it an "attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale", while sources say the amount was unprecedented.

It came after Nuno Espirito Santo and Morgan Gibbs-White were charged by the FA following the 2-2 draw at Brighton.

Maybe it has not taken the gloss off what has been a really encouraging start, but it is certainly an unwelcome distraction when the focus should be the on-pitch positivity.

There are clear improvements and Nikola Milenkovic has helped the defence in becoming one of the tightest in the Premier League this season, with only leaders Liverpool - two - having conceded fewer than Forest's six.

One criticism which can be levelled, though, is the reliance on Chris Wood for goals, with the striker scoring four of the Reds' seven in the league so far. Despite a positive transfer window, it is clear why the club wanted another striker.

That lack of clinical edge has cost the team already, especially at home, but Monday's visit of Crystal Palace is another opportunity for a first victory at the City Ground.

Palace have only beaten Forest at home three times this century and, with the Eagles still winless, the hosts must take their chances this time.

BBC Sport pundit Fara Williams will be answering your questions, giving her insight and opinion around your club.

So what would you like to ask the former England midfielder?

What can your team achieve after their start to the season? Who has been your best player so far? What does the manager's future hold?

Send in your questions here, external

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Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Steve Hodge says Nuno Espirito Santo's side are playing "with strength and character" to grind out results this season.

However, despite taking 10 points from their opening seven matches in the Premier League, the Reds have not yet won at the City Ground this season.

"We could have easily won the past three home games but we need to be more clinical," said Hodge on BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football. "We need a few more goals because we are only scoring once in most games. We all know that in football that is never enough.

"I am happy with the back line because not giving away much is helping Forest to pick up points regularly. Even with 10 men, we have twice got a result, so that shows you the strength, character and ability of that unit.

"The back four and goalkeeper Matz Sels have been magnificent.

"Any Forest fan at this point will be very confident that we will have a good season."

Listen to the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, PA Media

Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Peter Cormack, who was signed by Matt Gillies from Hibernian, has died at the age of 78.

During a two-year stint at the club between March 1970 and July 1972, the Scotland international made 87 appearances.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of our former player Peter Cormack," read a club statement.

"Our thoughts go out to Peter's friends, family and loved ones at this sad time."

The latest episode of the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast has landed.

Brian Laws and Steve Hodge discuss the club's recruitment, and the draw with Chelsea before the international break.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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Nottingham Forest needed a centre-back who was good in the air. Nikola Milenkovic impressed in last summer’s European Championships for Serbia. The Premier League side subsequently signed the 26-year-old from Fiorentina for £12m.

Things don’t normally happen this easily in football.

For example, defender Josko Gvardiol caught the eye for Croatia in the World Cup and went on to sign for Manchester City for £77m… which is probably about the current value of Milenkovic’s new defensive partner, Murillo — also 22 and also left-footed.

But still, the point is identifying and signing Serbian Milenkovic as the missing part of the club’s defensive jigsaw was a moment of genius from Forest’s recruitment team. Manchester United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, to name a few, were all linked with Milenkovic just a few years ago for a fee rumoured to be around £25m.

According to WhoScored, of the 297 players to contest 25 or more aerial duels in Serie A last season, the now Serbian captain had the best success rate at 79.4%. Forest’s weakness defending set pieces, as well as deficiency in height, was practically solved in an instant.

But he’s no lumbering centre-back. At 6ft 4in, he’s obviously tall, but he reads the game well, organises the defence and is a calm figure at the back. He's seen stepping up to intercept passes, disrupting opposition moves, bullying strikers and quickly giving the ball to team-mates, meaning Forest can be on the front foot to break.

His presence allows Murillo to play the expansive game he wants and, importantly, provides the experience of a partner that only Willy Boly was able to offer the Brazilian last season. Of course, Forest’s record as the second-meanest defence in the Premier League this season — just six goals conceded — is not entirely down to Milenkovic.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo had a full pre-season at the club, Matz Sels has provided confidence in goal (as well as across the pitch) and, apparent from watching almost any game this season, the squad have an understanding and belief in themselves. A period of stability at Forest means it’s just a bit of fine-tuning to get the engine ticking along nicely — and Milenkovic has become a very important cog in that machine.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external