Nottingham Forest

Defeat by 10-man Tottenham on Friday condemned Nottingham Forest to a fifth Premier League defeat in six games.

• 15 December: Forest 0-2 Tottenham
• 9 December: Wolves 1-1 Forest
• 6 December: Fulham 5-0 Forest
• 2 December: Forest 0-1 Everton
• 25 November: Forest 2-3 Brighton
• 12 November: West Ham 3-2 Forest

Their last victory was a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa on 2 November.

Check out all the latest Forest news and views on our dedicated club page.

Kiran, London: Hi Phil, as a Crystal Palace fan, it is increasingly frustrating to see how we are just floating around mid-table for close to 10 years whilst West Ham, Brighton, Villa etc. Have all pushed on past us. What do you think is holding is back from reaching that next level?

Phil: I get that, Kiran – especially when you see Brighton. It will be interesting to see what direction Palace take when Roy Hodgson leaves at the end of this season. Will they make a bold appointment or a safe one? Remember when Frank de Boer was regarded as ambitious and lasted five games.

I did think at the time extending Hodgson’s contract was a very safe choice.

I think Palace also have to be sensible but I do agree there is scope for moving forward with a fiercely passionate and loyal fanbase and some really talented players like Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.

This season has felt a little like a holding operation and that Palace are capable of a bit more. The next managerial appointment might tell us a lot.

Image source, Transfermarkt

Manchester City's Rico Lewis has seen the biggest increase after the latest Transfermarkt update, with 18m euros added to take his overall value to 38m euros, helping City to maintain their tag as the Premier League's most valuable club.

Chelsea duo Levi Colwill (55m euros) and Cole Palmer (45m euros), along with Nottingham Forest's Murillo (22m euros) have all had an extra 13m euros added to their values.

There's no great surprise that Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali is the biggest loser of the latest update.

The Italian, who is serving a 10-month suspension after breaching betting rules, drops by 20m euros to 40m euros.

The values are calculated, taking into account various pricing models. A major factor is the Transfermarkt community, whose members discuss and evaluate player market values in detail. In general, the Transfermarkt market values are not to be equated with transfer fees.

In his final interview as Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper said there was "nothing good" about his side's run of form and they fell short in "defining moments" following their 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.

John: Steve Cooper will always be a legend for the way he stepped in gained promotion. Forest have not handled this well and shown a severe lack of respect for that

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham have already won at Goodison Park this season and boss Marco Silva believes his team's recent cup runs show the ambition of the club.

The Cottagers reached the FA Cup quarter-finals last season but now ex-Everton boss Silva wants to go further.

"We're not just happy because we achieve the quarter-finals, we want to play the semi-finals," Silva said.

"Of course, it's going to be a tough one, but we have all the desire, the ambition to go and to play this game and to be in the semi-finals."

Saeed: Hi Phil. Chelsea have blown hot and cold this season. They've obviously had to deal with injuries to key players. And our best line-up definitely has Nkunku and Reece James. My question is this, do you think Chelsea have got the potential to challenge for the major trophies like we did in the Roman Abrahmovic era?

Phil: I do think Chelsea will eventually be challenging for the major trophies again but I also think it is going to take a lot of time and patience? Does the Chelsea hierarchy have that? We’ll see.

I have seen Chelsea a few times this season and when you think they are starting to progress they thrown in an awful performance.

I do think they have a very good manager in Mauricio Pochettino and there are undoubtedly a lot of very good players at Chelsea but he has to start getting winning performances out of them.

The loss of Nkunku has been a blow while the continuing injuries problems of Reece James, so important, has been such a setback.

Port Vale

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Port Vale midfielder Funso Ojo needs a fitness test before the Carabao Cup quarter-final with Middlesbrough after failing to finish Saturday's 3-2 League One win over Wigan Athletic.

Vale boss Andy Crosby must also decide whether to restore club captain Nathan Smith, who had started every league game this season until being left out.

Vale, 15th in League One, 26 places below Championship promotion hopefuls Boro, are in the last eight of the competition for the first time in its 64-season history.

Vale were drawn at home in the first three rounds, squeezing past Fleetwood (3-2), neighbours Crewe Alexandra (2-0 on penalties after a 0-0 draw) and Sutton United (2-1) before Alfie Devine's early second-half goal earned a 1-0 fourth-round win at Nigel Clough's Mansfield Town.

Port Vale

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Port Vale had never been beyond the fourth round of the EFL Cup, reaching that stage in 2006-07, prior to this season's charge to the quarter-finals.

Tottenham ended Vale's dream run in 2006-07, winning 3-1 after extra time following a 1-1 draw.

Goalkeeper Connor Ripley started his professional career on the books of tonight's opponents Middlesbrough, although he hadn't made his senior debut when Vale featured in round four in 2006.

Ripley told BBC Radio Stoke's Phil Bowers: "If we can get into the next round that would be incredible. It's at home, why can't we?

"I'm excited for multiple reasons. I've got a lot of friends who are Middlesbrough fans - I am a Middlesbrough fan as well - and I'll see a lot of old faces I grew up with.

"I've played against some of my best friends who were in the opposing team before and it doesn't really matter.

"I'm here for a job. I'm not here to be a fanboy - I'm here to try and knock them out of the cup.

"I like the emotional side of it but when I'm out on that pitch I'm totally focused.

"I'm confident in myself and proud of how my career's gone. Middlesbrough was amazing. I was there as a 15-year-old. They did so much for me and I'll always be grateful.

"But I actually don't care when it comes to this game. I'm a Port Vale player now - and I hope we can cause an upset."

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Former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has spoken to Nottingham Forest amid growing uncertainty over the future of manager Steve Cooper.

The 49-year-old was sacked by Saudi Pro-League club Al-Ittihad in November.

Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner has also been mentioned as a likely replacement if Cooper went, but it seems Nuno is now in pole position.

Forest, 17th in the top flight, have won once in 13 Premier League games and taken eight points in that time.

They have also picked up just one point from their past six matches and are five points ahead of third-bottom Luton, who have a match in hand.

Full story.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

It is understood Steve Cooper has now been told of his dismissal as Nottingham Forest manager.

Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough, who won this trophy in 2004, have so far done it all on the road.

It is a fifth consecutive away tie for Michael Carrick's Championship side.

They won 3-2 at Huddersfield in round one, then 3-1 at Bolton, 2-0 at Bradford City and 3-2 at Exeter thanks to a late Emmanuel Latte Lath penalty in the last round.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick said: "Creating memories and big occasions is what we're in it for. Remembering big nights and big performances and results.

"You've got to embrace that - the emotion, the passion and that feeling of something a little bit different of one-off games bringing something that you can't replicate week in, week out in the league.

"We've earned it. We've been away a lot and had some good results, some good performances and this is the next one.

"Cup quarter-finals don't always come along - they don't come along every season - so we want to be at our best."

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has urged his Chelsea players to "fight" and be "aggressive" as he looks to mark his first season with a trophy.

The Blues will secure a Carabao Cup semi-final if they defeat Newcastle in an all-Premier League tie on Tuesday.

"We want to deliver for the club and for the fans," said Pochettino, who took charge last summer.

"It's a priority when you're at Chelsea to win a title, it's important so it's in our mind and objectives."

Chelsea have struggled for consistency under Pochettino and sit 10th in the Premier League, 12 points off the top four.

Pochettino failed to deliver a major trophy during five years in charge of Tottenham.

His side will have to overcome last season's runners-up if they are to take a step closer to the EFL Cup final.

"Of course I want to win a trophy here in England, and win one with Chelsea if we have the opportunity," added the Argentine.

"My wish and desire is to win and it's possible.

"We need to respect our opponents, Newcastle are going to be tough, we need to deserve to go through."

Nigel Downes: I'm not a forest fan but for this to be out in the public eye whilst Cooper is still in the role is very disrespectful to him, especially after what he has done for Forest.

Graham: Nuno did well at Wolves but with better players than we currently have.

@Andy_wxm on X: Hi Phil. Where do you think Everton will need to strengthen in January?

Phil: Not sure they will have that much for manouevre to be honest, Andy. I think they are covered in a lot of positions but very short on numbers. For instance, if they lost Doucoure for a spell that would be a big miss but I just think they are short of general squad strength and numbers.

I wouldn’t hold your breath, though. Everyone knows the financial position at the club.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

The situation around Steve Cooper is intensifying.

It is my understanding the first-team players were not at training today.

I am pretty sure by the time they convene tomorrow, they will have a new boss.