Nuno Espirito Santo interview: Nottingham Forest boss on tactical changes and dominating without the ball

4 April 2025, 07:40 | Updated: 5 April 2025, 17:32

With Ola Aina injured and Alex Moreno ineligible, Nuno Espirito Santo must find a new solution against Unai Emery's Aston Villa on Saturday. But variations in tactics and personnel have been a key feature of Nottingham Forest's success this season.

In seeking to explain Forest's extraordinary form, a run that has taken them to third in the Premier League table and has supporters dreaming of the Champions League, not to mention FA Cup glory, it is the continuity under Nuno that has often been cited.

There is truth to that. No team in the Premier League has used so few different players this season, just 23. In total, Forest have made 49 changes to their starting line-up. Again, that is low. Only three teams in the competition have made fewer.

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