Nuno not worried about the Premier League table after Forest drop out of top five

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said that he was not worried about the Premier League table following his side’s 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford on Thursday.

The result left Forest sixth in the table and outside the Champions League places on goal difference, having occupied the top five for much of the campaign.

“It’s a bad night and a bad game. I’m not really worried about the table, more how to correct the mistakes,” Nuno told Sky Sports.

“Credit to Brentford but the situations we should solve normally with better defending. We are disappointed but it’s about reacting and going for the next one.

“I don’t say it was because of the semi-final. It was high demanding on a fitness aspect but we should have defended better.

“We didn’t create too much, Brentford defended well. We have to compete much better to achieve what we want. The way we did it in this game is not normal for where we are.

“There are still four games to go, a lot of football to be played. We have to focus on ourselves and play better football.

“He [Callum Hudson-Odoi] was not able to continue. He felt something in the first half.”

Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brentford

Forest’s hope of Champions League football next season suffer a huge blow following this defeat at home to Brentford. pic.twitter.com/fafUQlUH3i

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 1, 2025

For Brentford, though, the result keeps alive their hopes of a top-eight finish and the potential for a place in Europe next season.

The Bees remain 11th in the table, but cut the gap to eighth-placed Fulham to just two points.

“There is a few things to happen, the teams ahead of us need to get less points and we need Manchester City to win the FA Cup,” said Thomas Frank on the prospect of qualifying for Europe, while speaking to Sky Sports.

“There’s a few things that we cannot control ourselves. Last 12 games we have been extremely consistent and well performing. There’s another big game on Sunday which we will do our best to win.”

For Brentford, the potential of getting into a European competition will mark another step up for a side who only made it to the Premier League for the first time in 2021.

Frank would not be drawn on whether or not they are ready for European competition yet.

“Ask me in three games’ time, then I’ll answer the question,” he said.

“We’re growing as a club and the team is growing. We would be more competitive if we didn’t have as many injuries last year.

“We consistently perform at a good level [this season]. This season we had one bad game whereas the other season we have had three or four.”

On the game itself, the Dane was delighted with the victory over such a well-performing side.

“It was very good to come here and win against a very good team. Defensively, very strong we gave very little away. Very robust, very clever in many phases of the game,” he said.

“We lacked a bit of coolness in spells, but we have to come here and got a well deserved win and gave very little away, that’s very good.

“I have been speaking to Nathan [Collins] about how centre-backs who can play a long pass in-behind is such a bigger threat than shorter passes.”