'It is still in Forest's hands'published at 08:19 6 May
08:19 6 May
Image source, Getty Images
Former Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that while fans will be disappointed to see their side dropping down the table, he believes Champions League qualification is still in their hands.
"They are still sixth. There is only two points difference between [Forest and] Chelsea and Newcastle [in fifth and fourth, respectively].
"But when you have been in third for so long it is a little bit more disappointing when you see yourself start dropping and dropping.
"Two weeks ago they were probably nailed on and now they are in sixth, so it is very difficult.
"But I say it is in their hands because they have probably got the best fixtures out of the whole lot."
'All the teams in this big fight will give it a go'published at 07:30 6 May
07:30 6 May
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC MOTD: "Let's think about the game. It was two halves, and in the first first we were very good. It was good for us that we achieved the goal so soon after the goal for Crystal Palace. That gave us belief to fight for the game. After last week, a good attitude.
"It's about finding ourselves again after the past three games. We defended better, it's so obvious, against a talented opponent in Palace.
"The final games will be nervous, tight games. Everyone is fighting for something and Selhurst Park is always a tough place to come.
"All the teams in this big fight will give it a go."
Did you know?
No side has received more yellow cards in a Premier League game this season than Nottingham Forest's eight against Palace, and it is the most the Reds have received in a match in the competition.
Gossip: Saudi side Al-Hilal eye Nunopublished at 07:29 6 May
07:29 6 May
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo and Fulham manager Marco Silva are among the candidates being considered by Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. (Talksport), external
Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottm Forest: More dropped points for Forestpublished at 23:26 5 May
23:26 5 May
Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Results over the weekend left Nottingham Forest needing a win.
Not only would three points against Crystal Palace have pulled Nuno Espirito Santo's side back level with Newcastle and Chelsea, but it would have given the team some much-needed confidence after their recent poor run of form.
Instead, they were forced to settle for a draw by a Palace team who could have made them suffer further had Eddie Nketiah and Maxence Lacroix put away late chances.
Forest have picked up just one win in their last five Premier League games and their hopes of Champions League football next season has hit a stumbling block.
They are far from out, though. After Eberechi Eze's penalty, Forest showed spirit and Murillo's clever finish earned what could prove to be a vital point.
Forest fans will desperately hope the Brazilian, who limped off with an apparent hamstring problem, is fit for fixtures against already-relegated Leicester and 17th-placed West Ham.
Win those, and Forest should find themselves in a favourable position for a potential decider against Chelsea in their last game of the season.
Sutton's predictions: Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forestpublished at 08:04 5 May
08:04 5 May
Crystal Palace will be on a high after booking their place in the FA Cup final, so this is another very tricky game for Nottingham Forest, who slipped up at home against Brentford on Thursday.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side will have to be stubborn and resolute to get anything at Selhurst Park. They have shown that kind of character plenty of times already this season - but they really need it now.
Looking at the race for the top five, you feel like every team involved needs to win every game, but of course that is not going to happen, and I can see my boyhood team Forest dropping more points here.
Gossip: Man City ready to agree Gibbs-White dealpublished at 07:22 5 May
07:22 5 May
Manchester City plan to advance their interest in Morgan Gibbs-White by agreeing a deal with Nottingham Forest for the 25-year-old midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Would missing out on Champions League be a failure?published at 12:03 3 May
12:03 3 May
Nottingham Forest's 2-0 defeat at home by Brentford left them outside the Champions League qualification spots, but would reaching an alternative European competition count as a success?
Forest fan Saveena Johal tells The Football News Show why they can still make the top five, and why a Europa League spot would not be a bad consolation.
Can poor form be put 'down to nerves'?published at 18:37 2 May
18:37 2 May
BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray spoke on the latest Shut Up And Show More Football podcast about the reasons behind Nottingham Forest's recent poor form: "It's getting very nervy - you can tell that around the ground and in some of the performances. You're seeing players that have been absolutely outstanding all season now not reaching those levels. I think that's down to nerves.
"You look at some of the decision-making that has been going on on the pitch. You put it down to individual errors, but those individual errors haven't been happening over the course of the season so far. You start to wonder why they are happening now.
"Getting across the line, whatever the target you're aiming for, is always the most difficult time of a season. Nottingham Forest aren't used to challenging like this, certainly not in the Premier League. They haven't had too many promotion battles in all of those years either in the lower leagues.
"They are used to scrapping against teams who do slip up. Now they are finding themselves in battles with teams who don't.
"At the moment, I feel like we are being a bit left behind in that department."
'He felt something and we have to assess how he is' published at 13:27 2 May
13:27 2 May
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has given more detail on Callum Hudson-Odoi's latest injury, after the 24-year-old was substituted at half-time in Thursday's defeat by Brentford.
"He felt something. We have to assess how he is. We think it is his hamstring," Nuno said.
"This is our major concern first of all - try to solve the mistakes and correct them so we can compete better. At the same time, see if our players can hold on and keep going.
"From the FA Cup semi-final, there is a fitness issue in our players. Now we have to try to recover them and choose wisely so we can have as many as possible to compete in these next four games."
Defeat at the City Ground on Thursday was the club's fourth in five matches, but the Portuguese coach is determined to finish the season strongly in the push for Champions League football.
He added: "I'm not concerned about what's coming. I'm concerned - how can we compete against Crystal Palace? How can we be ourselves again? How can we be dominant even when we don't have the ball?
"But we don't give chances away because we have talent and speed. This has to be, and it is, my major concern."
Did you know?published at 13:05 2 May
13:05 2 May
Nottingham Forest have won nine away Premier League matches this season. They have only won 10 top-flight away matches in a season on three occasions - in 1977-78 (finished first), 1978-79 (second) and 1994-95 (third).
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brentford - the fans' verdictpublished at 10:11 2 May
10:11 2 May
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts on Thursday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford.
Here are some of your comments:
Nottingham Forest fans:
Fosi: Yet another abysmal performance. No fight, no ion and no idea. Is our season over?
Freddy: Huge disappointment at the result. I'd hoped that bowing out of the FA Cup would galvanise the players, but the opposite seems to have happened. They looked tired and devoid of ideas. I just hope an easier run of games will get us over the line - Chelsea last game of the season seems huge now.
Ken: It's over I'm afraid. Those players are exhausted and have no more to give. It was like watching us two seasons ago. The very thing that has been our rock - defence - is falling apart at exactly the wrong time. Our failure to sign one or two strikers has well and truly scuppered us.
John: We're on a bad run at at a bad time. I don't care one way or the other about Europe, except that we've got some players I wouldn't want to lose to clubs who get there. We're good enough to put this right but we're running out of games.
Brentford fans:
Mel: Dare we dream about Europe? Yet another top performance against a top six team. Incredible team spirit and winning mentality continues to deliver exceptional performances. Our run in looks favourable when compared to others, and a result against Manchester United keeps a European dream alive.
Tim: The Bees showing their teeth and battling for the points was a pleasant surprise. Michael Kayode blunted Forest's game plan by matching them for pace. Great to see Kevin Schade poke that ball home, the guy needs a bit of confidence to bring out his best.
David: Brentford controlled the game and executed their chances with confidence and precision. The travelling fans must have been planning their European tour on the way home. Another masterclass from Thomas Frank.
Josh: We are making a last minute surge for Europe. We couldn't do it could we? Don't stop believing!
'We are struggling in some aspects of our game' - Nunopublished at 08:40 2 May
08:40 2 May
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo on whether his side are feeling the pressure of pursuing a Champions League spot after defeat against Brentford: "We don't see it but we feel it.
"The explanation for that we have to find in ourselves. But I don't see (pressure), I see belief, desire and commitment.
"But the reality is we are struggling in some aspects of our game - focus and determination to be practical and solve the situations that are simple to solve.
"(To get back to ourselves) is the basic option we have. We don't have to change, we have to go back and find our version.
"We have been clear and spoken many times about how we play. Our basic is being compact and solid, we don't give away chances.
"We are a team that always covers, so our opponents have to do much more to achieve what they achieved today. With all respects to Brentford, it was too easy.
"We have been talking about how we are as a team and defensively we don't allow too many situations.
"We have had a lot of clean sheets. This is the basic pillar we have, but today it was the other way around.
"We credit Brentford, but I believe with a better approach we could have solved the situations."
Swans 'would love' to re-sign O'Brien - Montaguepublished at 05:05 2 May
05:05 2 May
Image source, Getty Images
Director of football Richard Montague says Swansea City want to bring Lewis O'Brien back to the club next season – but concedes the midfielder's next move will be down to Nottingham Forest.
O'Brien has excelled in Swansea colours since arriving on loan at the back-end of the mid-season transfer window.
However, he remains under contract at the City Ground next season and the cost of any deal to bring him back to Wales is likely to be significant.
"We do know Lewis has loved his time here and we have loved having him here," Montague said.
"We'd love to have him back but he's under contract with Nottingham Forest and it's largely up to them what they choose to do.
"It's something we'd really be open to and we'd love to explore further, but ultimately when he's contracted to another club, it's not us in the driving seat."
O'Brien ed Forest from Huddersfield Town in 2022 following the Nottingham club's promotion to the Premier League.
But he has played only 17 times for Forest, and spent time on loan at DC United, Middlesbrough and Los Angeles FC before moving to Swansea after they sold Matt Grimes to Coventry City.
O'Brien has scored once in 15 appearances for the Swans, with his energy and dynamism in midfield key in the club's impressive form under Alan Sheehan.
"He is going to have an awful lot of suitors because he has played so well," Montague added.
'A disappointing night' - what Nuno saidpublished at 22:08 1 May
22:08 1 May
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Match of the Day and Sky Sports after the defeat by Brentford: "Not a good performance - something that we have to analyse.
"Normally solid over the top of our defence, but credit to Brentford. They defended well and didn't give us much - disappointing night.
"I don't say it was because of the semi-final. It was high demands from a fitness aspect but we should have defended better.
"It's a bad game. I'm not really worried about the table, more how to correct the mistakes.
"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.
On Brentford's long balls: "Something that we knew that Brentford does, but we should have done better."
On Forest's European hopes: "For the run-in, we have to find better solutions - a better game, better defending and better at creating opportunities.
"There are still four games to go, a lot of football to be played. We have to focus on ourselves and play better football."
Did you know?
Nottingham Forest have lost three of their past four Premier League games, as many as in their previous 16 beforehand.
They have also lost back-to-back home matches without scoring in the league for the first time since December 2023 under Steve Cooper.
'Not like us' - Elanga on home defeatpublished at 21:55 1 May
21:55 1 May
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga spoke to BBC Match of the Day after defeat at home to Brentford on Thursday: "We've been really solid in defence this year. We lost in the semi-final the other day and we've lost today. We need to regroup for Monday.
"We forgot about the game at Wembley and wanted to start strong today. The goals we conceded weren't like us.
"We have to go game by game. We need to start winning and put ourselves in the best position possible and that starts with Crystal Palace."
Did you know?
Since their return to the Premier League in 2022, Nottingham Forest have won just one of their 16 games in the competition in which they have had at least 51% of the possession. Against Brentford, they had 55% possession.
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brentfordpublished at 21:55 1 May
21:55 1 May
Bobbie Jackson BBC Sport Journalist
Image source, PA Media
After losing Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, Nuno Espirito Santo said Nottingham Forest have the five "biggest games of our careers" to wrap up in the Premier League.
With the prospect of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 1980–81, Forest needed to move on quickly.
However, form was against them, having lost three of their last four outings in all competitions prior to the visit of Brentford, and it proved to be another frustrating outing.
Forest, as they did against City at Wembley, looked fatigued and were unable to impose themselves on the game.
Brentford fully deserved to lead through Kevin Schade at half-time with Forest unable to mount a meaningful effort on goal.
The hosts did show an improvement early after the restart and could have levelled when Anthony Elanga forced a fine save from Mark Flekken.
It was Flekken who set up Brentford's second with a long ball picking out Yoane Wissa, who finished with a cute chip to take his league tally to 17.
With at least five places up for grabs in the Champions League, Forest - who sit sixth - are by no means out of the race and trail third-placed Newcastle by just two points.
But this was their game in hand on the sides above and a golden opportunity to take full control of their destiny - now they must rely on others to drop points while also finding a way to get back in their groove.
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brentford - send us your thoughtspublished at 21:23 1 May
Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies
Sutton's predictions: Nottingham Forest v Brentfordpublished at 15:46 1 May
15:46 1 May
This is a tough game for Nottingham Forest to bounce back in after the disappointment of losing their FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Forest did play well in the second-half against Manchester City, but the challenge for them here is to reach that level again. They need a win for their top-five hopes, and they will have to play well to get it.
Brentford are always dangerous and their form has picked up over the past couple of weeks, but as a boyhood Forest fan I am going with my heart over my head with this one.
Image source, Getty Images
