by Staff Writer
Friday, 16th May 2025
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has charged his team with winning their final two Premier League games of the season as they chase an unlikely Champions League spot.
Forest visit the East End seventh in the table with their hopes of making next season's UECL diminishing as a result of being held at home by lowly Leicester in their most recent outing.
Consequently only a win at the London Olympic Stadium would be sufficient to extend those hopes to the final game of the campaign - and Santo has called upon his players to make one more major effort.
"The mindset is very clear, it is our last opportunity to try and fight for Champions League," he insisted. "We are talking about something so huge for us. We are preparing ourselves and training hard.
"We are going to improve our game, we have to be solid. But we are also facing a tough team in West Ham. Good players, a good squad, Potter is there and it's going to be tough on us."
Meanwhile, on stricken striker Taiwo Awoniyi - who was seriously injured during the closing stages on last weekend's 2-2 draw with Leicester City - Nuno revealed the prognosis was far better than a week ago, when he was placed in an enforced coma.
"He went for surgery, surgery went well thank God," he explained. 'He is under observation now, but he is recovering, we still have to wait for the doctors to allow visits. We are concerned but it is positive.
"It has been very difficult because of the concern of the injury, the situation he went through. It's been very difficult on us and on everybody, the concern of the injury that he had, the situation that he entered through, it's been hard.
“It would change everything if he was with us, but we have to move forward and prepare for the game, which is what we’re doing. We know that he is well, but he needs time. I hope that he can join us next week and be around because he’s a wonderful boy."
You may watch Nuno's full pre=match press conference below.
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