Nuno Espirito Santo Discusses Danilo’s Recovery, Transfer Window, and Manchester City Match Approach

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo addressed reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League fixture against Manchester City, scheduled for a 19:30 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press conference: Nuno stated that the squad update remains “the same” as it was for the preceding game versus Ipswich. Nevertheless, he indicated that a specific return date for Danilo is not yet available, emphasizing the need to be “patient and careful” with the player and to ensure they “take the right steps going forward as we don’t want any setback”. He described the 1-0 victory against Ipswich as an “important” achievement, though he noted that the team is “always trying to improve the details”. Even with Manchester City’s recent streak without a win, Nuno asserted that this “does not take away the quality and the talent they have,” and his team is “aware” of the continued difficulty of the match. He further commented: “We look at quality and things we have to do. We have to do a lot right to achieve a good performance and result there – that is our ambition.” He mentioned that there is “still a long time to go” until the January transfer window opens, and their current focus is solely on their six scheduled matches in December. When questioned about whether their current league standing might aid in attracting new players, he responded: “We don’t look at that. I believe we have a good squad. Balanced. We have had moments where they are not all available but, when we have all of them, I believe we can compete with any team.” Regarding their distinction as the sole team to have defeated Liverpool this season and whether this serves as a benchmark for games against opponents such as Manchester City, he stated: “We look at the Liverpool game and we felt in pride in that performance, but that was so long ago already. We are at a different position in competition now, we put that aside and just focus on Manchester City and how good they are, how tough it is going to be. Focus on ourselves.” A victory on Wednesday could elevate The Reds to second or third place in the league standings; however, Nuno expressed that “the table doesn’t matter,” elaborating: “But we are positive and we want to challenge ourselves to improve. Doesn’t matter about the opponent ahead, you focus on what you have to do and ignore the noise. Focus on your tasks, don’t underestimate the situation and value quality of players. This is what I call the right mindset to face a team like City.”