Alious Nuno Espírito Santo Downplays Man City Win: “It’s Not a Landmark”
Nuno Espírito Santo demonstrated his grounded approach following Nottingham Forest’s impressive victory over Manchester City, stating that the win was “not a landmark.” This comment reveals the manager’s determination to maintain high standards and push his players for continued improvement, even after securing a vital result in their top-four pursuit.
Defensive Discipline: The Foundation of Success
“We are happy. Very happy. I think we did a very good game against a very tough team: the defensive display was good. The organisation was good: the help, the covers, the double ups were fundamental to have this defensive display. I’m so proud and happy,” Espírito Santo shared in his post-match comments.
Despite Manchester City dominating possession with nearly 70%, Forest’s fullbacks maintained remarkable stability. The manager emphasized the collective defensive effort: “I was very pleased, very pleased, very pleased. Very difficult players to stop. Credit to them, but also credit for the helps, especially of the midfielders to double up.”
For Espírito Santo, defensive solidity remains non-negotiable: “If you ignore the talent and the defensive part of the game, you are making a mistake. We’ll try to avoid till the end because it’s the basic pillar for us is a clean sheet. We are proud of achieving clean sheets.”
Attacking Talent Makes the Difference
The Portuguese manager also praised his attacking players, particularly Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored his third goal in four league starts. A brilliant switch of play from Morgan Gibbs-White created the opportunity, highlighting the technical quality in Forest’s ranks.
“Of course, it comes down to talent, talent, when Callum has a chance, I think he had a previous chance before and he did well. Players that have the advantage in 1v1, when we try and we achieve to create the situations, they are talented and it’s difficult to stop,” Nuno explained.
Building Confidence Against Elite Opposition
This victory follows Forest’s impressive performances against other top Premier League sides in 2025, including a draw with Liverpool and a goalless stalemate against Arsenal. When asked about these results, Espírito Santo focused on the team’s development:
“We are talking about the best teams around. It always gives you the confidence that you can compete well against such good players. I think it allows us to grow as a team, but it doesn’t change the opponent that you have ahead of you, in front of you, because the Premier League is very tough.”
The manager believes these performances demonstrate the squad’s evolution: “I think the improvement of the squad, the improvement of the players, the ability to realise that we can compete against every team. It doesn’t matter the result. It’s how we prepare to compete, knowing our strengths, our weakness, and knowing who we have in front of you.”
One Game at a Time
Despite Forest’s impressive week—advancing to the FA Cup quarter-finals and now sitting four points ahead of City—Espírito Santo remains committed to taking one game at a time, with Ipswich Town next on the schedule.
“The win doesn’t change anything. It’s about the focus, the approach of the games. Let’s enjoy the journey together. The players, they are doing amazing. Our fans giving the help. Keep on enjoying.”
Interestingly, Espírito Santo highlighted the team’s second-half fightback against Newcastle earlier in the season as a pivotal moment, rather than these high-profile victories.
The City Ground Fortress
While maintaining his measured approach, the manager acknowledged the importance of the fan support at the City Ground: “I think there’s a bond of trust between the team and fans that we can see that the players do feel comfortable playing at City Ground and our home form has been huge for us. Let’s try to keep it on the next ones.”
As Forest continue their surprising push toward European qualification, Espírito Santo’s grounded perspective and demanding standards appear to be key factors in their success.
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