Nottingham Forest turn their attention back to the Premier League this week after clinching their spot in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Reds returned to action after the international break on Saturday and booked a trip to face Manchester City at Wembley courtesy of victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side triumphed on penalties at the Amex Stadium after the last-four cup tie had finished 0-0 after extra-time.
The focus now switches back to the league for Forest, with a big clash at home to Manchester United to come on Tuesday (8pm kick-off) as they look to claim three more points on the way to Champions League qualification.
Reds reporter Sarah Clapson has opened up her notebook on the latest news Trentside ahead of that game.
Double blow
The Reds have some huge Premier League games to play before they start thinking about their Wembley trip. But two players have already been ruled out of the semi-final clash - Ryan Yates and Neco Williams.
Both picked up bookings against Brighton and had also been cautioned previously in the competition. In the FA Cup, players receive an automatic suspension when they have accumulated two yellow cards up to and including the quarter-finals.
“I’m obviously suspended for the semi-final. It’s all part and parcel. Hopefully the lads will win,” Yates told Sky Sports, having been booked for a foul on Brajan Gruda before scoring the decisive spot kick in the shoot-out.
“It is what it is. I feel like I had to take the lad down, take one for the team.
“I’m just buzzing for the club and for the supporters. We know how special it was the last time we went there (to win promotion), so we’re looking for more special moments.
“We haven’t had loads of trips to Wembley in our recent history, and they (the fans) deserve that more than anything. We want to finish the season as strongly as possible in the Premier League as well.”
Williams said in a post on social media: “See you all at Wembley, although I’m absolutely gutted to be missing out due to suspension, let’s keep enjoying this ride together.”
Transfer talk
Forest defender Andrew Omobamidele has been speaking about his future ahead of the summer window. The centre-back joined Strasbourg on loan in January and the French outfit have an option to make his move permanent.
It remains to be seen whether Strasbourg take that option up as Omobamidele has made just four league appearances since his switch. Leeds United have also been linked with the 22-year-old, but he says he is yet to make a decision about his future.
“I haven’t looked beyond this summer, even though it’s getting close,” Omobamidele told BeIN SPORTS. “My main goal now is to do the best I can here, and we’ll see what happens in the summer when we have to face the situation.”
The former Norwich City man says he knew he needed to leave the City Ground in January to get game time. He had found himself down the pecking order at Forest.
“I think it’s something I knew for a while,” the Irishman said of his January switch. “The team (Forest) is performing amazingly this season and sometimes football is like that. Sometimes the opportunities don’t come. I knew that for me, the path and adventure I’m on, the most important thing is to play and perform well.”
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Nottingham Forest are flying high in the Premier League and Reds fans are dreaming of a return to European competition. It has been an outstanding campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, who are on course for a place in the Champions League next season. And Forest supporters can whet their appetite for a possible return to football’s top tier on the continent with our 48-page special edition celebrating the club’s two European Cup wins.
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Superstitious bunch
The case of Jota Silva’s “lucky” boxers emerged last week. Portuguese newspaper Record carried an interview with the winger where he joked about his superstition of always playing in the same boxers.
It seems wearing the same underwear is not the only pre-match ritual Jota undertakes. NottinghamshireLive has been told he has a whole routine he repeats before a game day. It includes talking to his girlfriend, calling his parents the day before the match, getting his hair cut on the same day and at the same barbers, wearing the same clothes and donning the same hairband.
And he is not the only one not willing to risk some bad fortune. Head coach Nuno watched Saturday’s shootout from the dugout - as he did for the spot-kicks against Ipswich Town and Exeter City in the previous two rounds.
"Because I'm too nervous,” Nuno said. “It is a moment of anxiety and I prefer to sit down.
"It is also a bit of superstition. I did it before. I think we all have superstitions in football.”
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Lost in translation
Reds defender Murillo has barely put a foot wrong in the Garibaldi. The Brazilian quickly got to grips with the English game following his move from Corinthians in the summer of 2023.
But it seems the language is another matter! Although he has come a long way with learning English, the centre-back admits it can still leave him bamboozled at times.
In an interview with sports broadcaster Isabela Pagliari and translated by Nottingham Forest News, he explained: “I think what made it most difficult in terms of impact was a little bit of the language. Because we know English in the United States is a little easier but when we came here, the accents they speak are ridiculous!
“For me, it’s absurd. I’ve been here for a year and a half and I can communicate very well but I think there are times when I can’t do anything!”
What has impressed me recently
It was a team full of heroes on Saturday as the Reds reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991. But Yates deserves special praise.
Not only did the academy graduate take the crucial fifth penalty to send his team through, despite admitting to a touch of nerves, he did so in the knowledge he would not be able to play at Wembley due to suspension. That run he went on after the ball had hit the back of the net was quite something, and it was capped with a glorious kneeslide.
Moment missed from the weekend
Penalties are a nerve-wracking affair for everyone. Plenty of Reds fans will have been watching on through their fingers or from behind the sofa.
And it seems Matz Sels couldn’t look, either. When Yates stepped up for his spot-kick, the Forest goalkeeper was crouched down to the side of the goal and was facing the other way!
Player with a point to prove
After the final whistle on Saturday, Nuno said the news about Chris Wood’s hip injury was “not good”. He could not say whether the New Zealander would be available for the midweek match, but Taiwo Awoniyi will be on stand by if not.
Awoniyi hasn’t seen too much game time this season as he has found himself behind Wood in the pecking order. But he gave a good account of himself on the south coast and will look to build on that if he is called into action in the league.
Next up
A return to Premier League action for Nuno’s side. Manchester United visit the City Ground on Tuesday evening (8pm kick-off).
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