Nottingham Forest secured a crucial 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, boosting their hopes of Champions League qualification. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo praised his side’s performance, but admitted he was hoping for a more attacking display from his players.
“There is no other way. Tottenham put us against the ropes, so it is about defending and holding on to the result,” he said.
“We started the game well. We created danger with good combinations. We wanted to go more offensive in the second half, try to be more dangerous and have more of the ball.”
Espírito Santo believes his side is feeling the effects of a demanding campaign, but gave credit to Spurs for pushing them throughout the match.
“When you have something, it is about getting through it, especially in these moments of the season when there is fatigue, not only physical but mental, anxiety, all these things make the team go back a bit. Credit to Tottenham; they created so many chances against us, and we were fortunate to get away with the result,” said the head coach.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 51-year-old praised the fans for their support from start to finish, calling them “fantastic” as he turns his focus to the week ahead.
“Our fans have been fantastic for us. Today they gave us an extra run, not only here but also at the City Ground. We cannot thank them enough,” he added.
“We have a big week ahead of us. We have to prepare well then go to Wembley [to play Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals] and enjoy. You don’t get these moments often, especially in this league when we are fighting for something nobody expected.”
Nottingham Forest currently sit third in the Premier League with only five games left to play, and will face Manchester City in the FA Cup in their next game on Sunday.