Nottingham Forest are going to be facing Chelsea later on today, but Gary Neville won’t be in place at the City Ground to cover the mouthwatering contest that lies in store.
Neville has ruffled the feathers of Evangelos Marinakis, and he’s gone too far this time. Freedom of speech is one thing, but clearly, the Forest owner doesn’t think the pundit’s words should have a freedom of consequence.
It does add a small subplot into the mix for today’s game, with Forest needing a win to guarantee the club a place in next season’s Europa League, whilst three points could lead to a Champions League place being claimed.
Despite Forest and Neville being at loggerheads, it would appear that when discussing certain players in the Reds’ squad this season, Nuno Espirito Santo and the pundit do agree on one thing.
Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Nuno Espirito Santo and Gary Neville agree on Matz Sels
It was Neville who named Matz Sels in his Team of the Season on Monday Night Football last week and it would appear that Espirito Santo agrees with that notion, praising his goalkeeper ahead of the game.
He said in his press conference ahead of today’s game: “With all my respect for the other goalkeepers, Matz has been the best in the Premier League this season.
“He’s done great for us. The amount of key moments he has had to keep us in the game, save us…he’s been huge. He’s more stable, more confident than last season.
“Rui Barbosa, our goalkeeping coach, Wayne Hennessey, Carlos Miguel, and young lad Aaron Bott, they’ve been working really, really well with him.”
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Sels has earned the chance to continue as number one next season
When Sels signed for Forest, it was perhaps anticipated that he’d be considered a stopgap to provide a short-term upgrade on Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos.
However, Espirito Santo saw enough in him during pre-season to make him the number one between the posts this season and the Forest head coach has been rewarded for that show of faith.
With Forest guaranteeing European football for next season, Sels will definitely have a part to play and now it would seem extremely harsh for Espirito Santo to consider dropping the Belgian.
Sels could do with a clean sheet today to lay claim to the Golden Glove but regardless of what happens, it’s been a stunning season for Sels during the 2024/25 campaign.