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Jesse Lingard says he chose to sign for Nottingham Forest because they "showed the love" after leaving his boyhood club Manchester United.

The 30-year-old midfielder is thriving off the new challenge and says he gets goosebumps before every game at The City Ground.

Speaking to Steven Bartlett on his Diary of a CEO podcast , externalLingard was asked why he chose Forest above other clubs.

He said: "I think they showed the love. They showed the willingness and the hunger to want me. Things broke down at West Ham which I can’t get into too much, but Nottingham showed the love a lot more than West Ham.

"Nottingham were like we love you, we want you, the manager will come to your house, the owner wants to fly you to Greece to sign the deal. They were doing everything in their power to get the deal over the line.

"For me it was a new challenge, a different challenge. Newly-promoted team and all I’ve known is United all my life.

"I think it was always going to be tough, especially with new players coming in. But I feel like we have started getting a bit more momentum, everyone knows their roles and responsibilities now, we have played with each other and we understand each other a lot more.

"Of course we don’t want to be in the relegation zone and we want to be winning games. Away we need to do a lot better because we are struggling at the moment, but home games can be really crucial and key because the atmosphere - I have never heard it like that before.

"I have never been in an atmosphere like that. Before the game it’s a joke, I get goosebumps every time."

Lingard has also opened up about his turning to alcohol to "to try and take the pain away," as he struggled to deal with his career at Manchester United. You can read more about that here.

Steve Cooper says Dean Henderson's injury may force Nottingham Forest to sign another goalkeeper in January, but in the meantime he backs Wayne Hennessey to be a success.

Manchester United loanee Henderson suffered a thigh injury in the closing stages of Forest's win over Leicester City on Saturday.

Cooper said: "He's going to be out for four to five weeks which is obviously a bit of a blow for all of us, but him especially.

"These things happen and we will carry on with our work and support Dean as best we can to get back fit as quick as possible."

When asked if the injury will affect Forest's transfer business, Cooper added: "It’s certainly a discussion point.

"We have two League Cup games that Dean wouldn’t have played in so we were always planning without him for then anyway.

"I think we need to get this weekend out of the way and then see where we are at."

Wales international Hennessey will start against the Cherries and Cooper added: "Wayne is probably the most experienced player in the squad, so he is not somebody that we have to worry about in terms of preparation.

"He is such a professional lad as well. He prepares for every game like he is going to start, just in case he is called upon. He will play on Saturday and we really back him to do well for us. It’s been business as usual in terms of preparation."

Danilo says he is fulfilling his dream of playing in the Premier League after signing for Nottingham Forest from Palmeiras.

The Brazilian midfielder arrives at the City Ground six-and-a-half-year deal for a fee of about £16m.

Steve Cooper's latest recruit said: "I’m really happy to be fulfilling my dream of playing in the Premier League and playing for Nottingham Forest.

"I learned a bit about the history of the club and saw they had won two European Cups.

"I will show a lot of determination and a strong desire to win and will always look to do my best on the pitch to achieve positive results.

"I’m excited about getting started and meeting my new team-mates."

Forest sporting director Filippo Giraldi said: "He is a fantastic talent who will be a great asset for the present and the future of Nottingham Forest."

Chelsea have set the pace with regard to January signings, but Nottingham Forest are giving them a good run for their money - carrying on their widespread recruitment drive from the summer.

Forest appear to have adopted a 'throw as many players at the wall as possible and see what sticks' approach, with Brazilian midfielder Danilo the latest to join up and Newcastle striker Chris Wood not too far behind him.

Something seems to have clicked at the club, though, because they've not lost in three games, winning their last two. Today, they travel to Bournemouth with the chance to further pull away from the bottom three.

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Bournemouth could have a new face in their side today for the game against Nottingham Forest.

Winger Dango Ouattara has joined the club from Lorient for a fee believed to be around £20m.

The 20-year-old has scored six goals and provided six assists in 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season.

New Bournemouth owner Bill Foley is attempting to buy a stake in Lorient, which has been an advantage in reaching agreement for Ouattara.

Foley has pledged to strengthen Gary O'Neil's squad in an attempt to guide them away from relegation trouble.

Bournemouth have taken just three points from their past nine league games and sit a point above the relegation zone, but they have a worse goal difference than all three teams below them.

The Cherries have lost their past four Premier League games and six matches in a row in all competitions since O'Neil was made permanent manager on 27 November.

Mark: If Chelsea can find any form at all then this Liverpool defence is there for the taking. Milner had his one good game of the season against Wolves the other day and Robertson apart the other two are average at best.

Mohsin: It is 2074. Liverpool are in a bad run of form. Manager Jay Spearing II begins the thawing of James Milner to fill in for goalkeeper.

Arron: If you want a demonstration of the impact of injuries on Chelsea (and Liverpool) this season, take a look at those starting line ups. No wonder they’re both looking a shadow of themselves. Nowhere near the standards set no matter how much money has been thrown at it.

Apparently, Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the bench for Liverpool today because a minor muscle problem has caused him to miss a couple of training sessions this week. Jurgen Klopp playing it safe with the right-back.

BT Sport

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher speaking to BT Sport:

On Liverpool and Chelsea being 9th and 10th: "That's the beauty of the league, there is such a high level and obviously both teams want to be fighting for the title but we are not where we want to be. It should be a good game today and we're all excited."

"We've gone through a rough patch with results and performances. We're enjoying working with the manager and hoping that we can do well on the pitch today.

"Both sides are in a similar position. Both teams want the three points today more than anything and I hope we can put in a good performance."

Frank Lampard says he has "honest conversations" with his players and the board as he seeks to plot a way out of Everton's predicament.

The Toffees boss is approaching a year in charge at Goodison Park but has failed to inspire long-term improvement with the club currently 19th in the Premier League.

He admits management is a fine balance between being direct and trying to boost players' confidence.

"I have to tell them where to be better, show them and offer solutions," he said. "That's my job. It's not kids' football, there's a lot on it and there's professional duty. We have got to find a way out.

"At the same time, it's on me, my staff and the players themselves to try and boost confidence to get some momentum. I have to strike the balance every day."

The 44-year-old knows the pressure he faces but is determined to meet the challenge head on.

"This is a pressurised job but I never cry too much about that," he said. "I played for a long time and it helps you adapt.

"One of the first things I learned was the moment you make excuses by looking at anything other than yourself, that's when you fail."

Everything Everton in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

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Frank Lampard says videos of some Everton supporters confronting players is something he "does not want to see" but admits he understands how they are feeling.

Footage of centre-back Yerry Mina and midfielder Anthony Gordon emerged following the defeat by Southampton last weekend and Lampard was quick to insist this type of incident is "not just an Everton situation".

"I've been in football a long time and been at clubs where similar things have happened, to myself to a degree and to others," he said.

"This club has a huge passion that is unique. I spoke about it in good times and now have to speak about in not-so-good times. Sometimes that can overspill.

"The majority of Everton fans want this team to do well and they have the absolute right to voice their opinions.

"Of course we don't want them going up to players and I would love not to see that again but we have to understand the passion of the supporters."

Everton travel to West Ham on Saturday in a crucial game at the bottom of the table and Lampard is focusing on getting supporters back on side with the football his team produces.

"We know what we're like when everyone is together - we saw it last season," he said. "Our responsibility is to produce on the football side.

"The emotions change weekly. We are aware of the noise but we have to make it the least distraction possible, be robust and focus on delivering."

Mike Richards,Unholy Trinity, external

You would have been forgiven for thinking that Evertonians were welcoming a title challenging side on Saturday, as Goodison Road filled up with blue smoke, songs and passion.

Sadly, the club have never been further away from competing for top honours and such coach welcomes have become the norm for our relegation-threatened side.

The media would have you believe it was a “torrid” atmosphere pre-match, with attention switching from the lacklustre performance of the board to the fans who are trying everything they can to save their club. There was nothing but pure emotion and affection on display, combined with a willingness to get an extra percent out of each and every player.

Despite our best efforts, it was met with no reward as we slumped to our fourth home defeat on the spin. Another game when you could argue Everton edged it and potentially deserved more, but that means nothing with the club now sitting 19th in the table.

Goodison Park has become torturous, unless you’re an away side.

What will happen this week? Will the manager still be in a job come kick-off against West Ham? Will the board continue to peddle the narrative that the fans are the problem?

Second guessing this club has become nigh on impossible. The only certainty is Evertonians will continue to support our club and demand better, at every level.

James Jones, We Are West Ham, external

We wrote last week that David Moyes needed to get four points from West Ham's next two games in order to keep his job.

That's mathematically impossible now after last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Wolves, which left us in the relegation zone and level on points with bottom-of-the-table Southampton.

With half of the season now played and just 15 points accrued, it has simply not been good enough. Many are wondering why he's still in a job but it does appear he's going to get another chance this week.

We now face a monumental game against fellow strugglers Everton at London Stadium on Saturday and nothing less than a convincing win will do. It could be argued even a win won't be enough to save him, when you consider West Ham’s February fixtures.

Moyes has worked wonders in east London over the past two years, giving fans experiences they never thought were possible. However, there comes a time when you have to make a decision to keep the club moving in the right direction, a different direction to the one it's now heading towards.

Thanks for the incredible memories, Dave, but now is that time.

On the latest episode of BBC Radio London's The Far Post podcast, the panel discuss West Ham's recent spending and how some of the players signed don't suit manager David Moyes' style.

"Supporters are starting to get a bit nervous I think," said BBC Radio London sports editor Phil Parry.

"It’s not as if this is a West Ham side that hasn’t been invested in now. They have spent a lot of money - Paquta and Scamacca cost £85m between them.

"They have spent a huge amount of money and they aren’t getting any return. Is it the players? Or do you start looking at the coaching?"

Former Premier League defender Steve Brown added: "There has to be an accountability for spending that much money. Who is responsible for the signing of those players?

"If Moyes isn’t in charge of that I always see an issue, because he has quite a specific type of player he likes. He likes a hard-working unit."

Listen to The Far Post on BBC Sounds

Everything West Ham in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

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Danny Ings is in the building.

West Ham's first solution to their current predicament this window has been to go out and buy a striker - one who knows a thing or two about playing in the Premier League.

The Hammers have paid an initial £12m for the 30-year-old, which will rise to £15m if David Moyes' side avoid relegation from the Premier League.

West Ham said paperwork was submitted to the Premier League by 12:00 GMT and as a result they expect Ings to be available to face Everton on Saturday.

Ings joins on a deal running until 2025 after almost 18 months at Villa, who he joined for £25m in August 2021.

At least it should be an easy kit transition for Ings.

Read more here.

Image source, Reuters

West Ham's desire to progress and challenge for the Champions League has cost them so far this season, says striker Michail Antonio.

Speaking as the podcast he hosts with Callum Wilson returns to BBC Sounds, Antonio admits their slump to the lower echelons of the Premier League is a consequence of their success of the last two years.

"In the last seasons, we've thought 'let's get to 40 points and not get complacent'," he said. "Once we got there, we literally just enjoyed playing free and scoring goals and that's how we got into Europe.

"But this season, because we were so close to the Champions League places last year, we decided we wanted that and changed our mark.

"It's like we have jumped steps to try and push on and we have changed our philosophy.

"And it ain't working."

West Ham boss David Moyes made eight signings in the summer to refresh his squad, with Antonio arguing that was a deliberate choice to change the Hammers' playing style.

"Everyone in the top six plays possession football so we have been trying to score more free-flowing goals," he said. "We wanted to make the next step but we're conceding more goals because we're more open.

"It's a transition but we need to pick up form. The pressure has been mounting for some time."

There's more frank Antonio analysis from 06'30 here on the Footballer's Football podcast

Image source, BBC Sport

West Ham wanted this Saturday to be all about David Gold.

The club's co-chairman died earlier this month and the Premier League fixture against Everton will be the first match at London Stadium since.

West Ham have organised fitting tributes, including inviting Gold's family.

However, the game will be played against the sporting backdrop of the Hammers finding themselves in the relegation zone, despite a £160m outlay on new players in the summer, and manager David Moyes being under severe pressure.

Moreover, they are playing opponents who are also deep in the relegation mire and whose directors were advised not to attend last weekend's game against fellow strugglers Southampton at Goodison Park, which ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Navigating that situation will not be easy.

Mike Hughes
Reporter, BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

These are dark and difficult days for Everton. If their present Premier League position of second from bottom of the table, allied to one win in their last thirteen matches in all competitions isn’t bad enough, there’s also the matter of the off-the-field strife that’s currently enveloping the club.

The board of directors were told by their security advisors not to attend last Saturday’s home game with Southampton for safety reasons and fans held a post-match protest to highlight what they claim is the mismanagement of the club.

On the playing side, Saturday’s game at West Ham is another six pointer. They too are precariously positioned in the relegation zone. They too have a manager under pressure. For Frank Lampard and David Moyes the implications of losing this weekend’s massive match are patently clear.

If Everton’s recent record was replicated at Manchester City, even Pep Guardiola would be under serious pressure. Lampard did well to preserve the club’s top-flight status with that stomach churning, tumultuous victory against Crystal Palace last May. But the majority of the summer signing’s have yet to make enough of an impact.

The need for reinforcement’s at the top end of the pitch are clear and obvious. The benefits of recruiting a striker who can hit the ground running, in the way that Kevin Campbell did in the winter of 1999, can help to give Everton lift-off. That signing can’t come soon enough.

That might not help to solve the off the field situation. But for Everton, the team, the club and the supporters, avoiding relegation has to be the number-one priority.

Everyone in a position of prominence at Goodison has to share a responsibility for where the team is right now. No one can argue that an awful lot of money has been spent on signing players that have failed to deliver since Farhad Moshiri became the majority shareholder. Where the demarcation line is between various previous managers and directors of football who suggested bringing in the players isn’t clear. The burden of responsibility for that failing should be equally apportioned. But even under Carlo Ancelotti, who’s one of the most successful managers in modern football, Everton signed some players who didn’t live up to expectations. In the transfer market there aren’t any guarantees.

There’s still half of the season left to go. Twenty five points from nineteen matches would normally be enough for Everton to maintain their Premier League status. But to give themselves the best chance of reaching that target, they need to start winning football matches and they need to start winning them very quickly.

Everything Everton in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Everton boss Frank Lampard says he will "not cry" at the pressure he is under before Saturday's crucial Premier League trip to his former club West Ham.

The Toffees are second from bottom in the table and have picked up just one point from their last six league games.

Everton's board of directors stayed away from Goodison Park for the defeat by Southampton last weekend.

"It is a pressurised job, no doubt," said Lampard.

"But many people outside football do pressurised jobs with more at stake. I never try to cry too much about that because I am very proud and honoured to have managed great football clubs."

He added he "doesn't know" if it is a must-win game as far as his future is concerned.

"I am well equipped to feel the pressures of this," the 44-year-old said.

Read more here.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Everton have taken the chaos theory to extremes in recent years but nothing comes close to the current atmosphere of dysfunction and mistrust at the heart of the latest Goodison Park crisis.

Billionaire Farhad Moshiri's arrival in February 2016 was designed to usher in a new era of prosperity and success - instead it has resulted in years of instability and decline that has left the club on its knees in both a financial and footballing context.

Everton travel to West Ham on Saturday in 19th place in the Premier League after only three wins this season, and with supporter unrest and discontent at unprecedented heights.

The game at London Stadium has been cynically dubbed "El Sackico" on the basis the loser between Everton manager Frank Lampard and Hammers' counterpart David Moyes is expected to be in imminent danger of dismissal.

Everton scraped away from relegation at the death last season but for all the bold statements about a strategic review to reboot the ailing club and avoid a repeat, they are currently looking even more vulnerable to the drop into the Championship.

And in the past 10 days, the relationship between the Everton board and many fans has become so broken it is not an exaggeration to suggest it may now be irreparable.

Read more here.