Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has responded strongly to comments from Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who suggested that Forest’s recent success is largely due to their financial investment.
The two sides are set to clash in a high-stakes Premier League encounter at the City Ground on Tuesday.
Nuno’s side has been in remarkable form, winning six consecutive league games. A victory against league leaders Liverpool would reduce the gap to just three points, adding extra intensity to the matchup.
While Slot praised Nuno and Forest for their achievements, he also implied their spending played a significant role in their success, saying, “If you look at the money they spent, it’s not a complete surprise.”
Nuno was quick to challenge this narrative, rejecting the idea that finances are the driving force behind his team’s performances. “I don’t know the spending, I don’t know the value. That doesn’t happen,” he said firmly.
The Forest manager instead highlighted his focus on player development and the human aspect of the game: “I look at the player as a human being and how I can make them better. How can I make you better?”
Nuno also dismissed the notion that money dictates results, adding, “Money doesn’t play football, people do. It’s not my issue, we are not concerned about the price tag of things.”
When asked about Forest’s potential title ambitions, Nuno was measured in his response, downplaying speculation. He noted that focusing on hypothetical scenarios would only distract from their objectives.
“We have to play the games. We are here to compete against all the teams, I think we are doing well and nothing changes in our approach,” he explained.
Nuno emphasized the importance of self-awareness within his squad, saying, “It’s the same, more important than anything is we know what we can do, we know each other, our strengths, our weaknesses, let’s play the game.”
He reiterated his disdain for dwelling on hypotheticals, stating, “If we start thinking about ifs… it’s if, if, if, if, that’s why we always try to approach how we are going to prepare ourselves, how we are going to play the game.”
Concluding with his characteristic pragmatism, Nuno said, “At the end of the game, there will be no ifs…. I’m so sorry, I apologise.”
