Nuno Espirito Santo Discusses Warriors United, Chris Wood’s Contract, and Matz Sels’ Performance Ahead of West Ham Match

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo addressed the media in advance of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against West Ham, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his media briefing: When questioned about his participation in a press conference earlier this week with ‘Warriors United’, a Nottinghamshire-based club for children and young adults with learning disabilities, Nuno stated: “It was a nice moment and a moment for awareness. I saw the Paralympics and I was impressed by the amazing things that people can do. The bond between us, the club and the beautiful city of Nottingham – we are getting close.” Regarding team updates, he commented: “We have some issues that we are still assessing. [Morgan Gibbs-White] is part of the group that we have to assess. Chris [Wood], Elliot [Anderson] and Jota [Silva] have knocks.” Addressing speculation concerning contract discussions with the current in-form striker Wood, Nuno remarked: “Nothing has changed. Chris is OK and doing fantastic for us. What it means to have him and his goals is more important. All things will happen naturally.” Posed with the question of whether the forward is underrated, he responded: “I cannot answer that. What he has is a huge amount of respect from all of us because he is a top professional and delivers from so many situations.” Speaking about West Ham, Saturday’s opponents, Nuno said: “They are a very good team. They are coming from a high [after beating Manchester United]. They have a good group of experienced players and have a very good manager. Our standards must be very high.” Regarding the strong team bond, which midfielder James Ward-Prowse had previously mentioned, Nuno stated: “I just try to provide the right environment for them to build it. Being together is the best thing. The more time they spend together, it creates bonds on and off the pitch. We work with each other for the same purpose.” Addressing Matz Sels’ notable form, he commented: “When we are talking about individual positions, goalkeeper is so specific and special. Confidence plays a big part, not only for him but transmitting it to the team. It makes us better and we are delighted.”