“Our focus doesn’t change, let’s enjoy the journey” says Nuno as Forest secure victory over Man City | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest’s challenge for the Champions League places in the Premier League is very much a reality after Nuno Espírito Santo’s side earned a huge win over champions Manchester City.

Nuno’s side opened up a four-point gap between themselves and City with a hard-fought three points, given to them by Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late strike at the City Ground. Forest remain in 3rd place in the English top flight – an unthinkable position after finishing one point above the relegation places last term.

Forest succeeded in frustrating Pep Guardiola’s side, who had 69% possession, but the game looked to be heading towards a draw before Hudson-Odio’s strike. Star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White played a fantastic switch into the right channel for England international Hudson-Odio, who beat ex-Benfica goalkeeper at his near post.

“It was a tough game,” Nuno said. “Everybody saw how good City are. They put us against the ropes, but the boys worked very hard, they were able to adjust and to compensate. Of course City is always going to have chances, then it’s about us taking ours.”

The victory comes after Forest had held title-challengers Arsenal to a goalless draw at home on Monday. Asked about the defensive prowess of his side, Nuno admitted that solidity is his objective for the Reds, while insisting the club will not get carried away by fulfilling their dream of returning to Champions League football.

“We’ve had good days and we’ve had bad days. Today was good. Starting from the beginning, up front Anthony [Elanga] and Chris [Wood] trying to cut the lines and delay [them] a little bit to give time to the backline to adjust. But definitely a very good defensive display and clean sheet is always our objective.

“Where do we go from here? The focus doesn’t change. It’s [on the] next one, it’s Ipswich. It’s going to be tough. We are in a good place, the players have confidence. Let’s enjoy the journey together. The win shows the progress, but there’s still a lot of football to be played. Let’s enjoy the journey and focus on the next one.”

Forest were 17th in the Premier League when Nuno was hired last December. Having successfully avoided the drop at the end of the campaign, the former Porto boss is currently overseeing a remarkable level of progress in his first full season in charge, surely making himself a frontrunner for the upcoming Manger of the Year award.