Why are Forest so good this season – and can it last?

Forest are third in the Premier League – their highest position since 1998 – after winning three on the bounce in the

top flight for the first time since 1999. Forest are flying.

“In the transfer window we were looking for many options that could help us. The main thing was we looked for

someone who could improve us and someone who wanted to be with us. These two things are very important,” said

Nuno, tellingly, in September.

It looked they would be short up front but Wood’s electric start has neutralised any fears.

Nuno has refused to tread softly with Wood, especially after international duty, saying the striker is a “competitor”

and will always be ready.

While Wood has scored the goals, the management will always highlight that their foundations start in defence and

Matz Sels – having become the undisputed number one – has kept the joint-most clean sheets, with Andre Onana, in

the Premier League this season.

Squad turnover from summer 2022 Forest have courted controversy since they returned to the Premier League in

2022-23 with owner Evangelos Marinakis a high-profile figure

While it looks like Forest have evolved quickly from the side which finished 17th last season, following a four-point

deduction, seven of the players from Saturday’s 3-0 win over West Ham started the final day victory at Burnley last

term.

A points deduction in March, following a profit and sustainability breach, came before a controversial social media

post about VAR Stuart Attwell a month later which ultimately saw the club fined £750,000 this season.

With owner Evangelos Marinakis currently midway through a five-game for spitting towards officials – he lost his

appeal on Monday – Forest have snubbed the quiet life again. But it is on the pitch where they are making the most

noise this season.

Nuno returned to the Premier League after a spell in Saudi Arabia and there were a few doubters when he replaced

Steve Cooper in December last year.

He had won the Saudi Pro League and the Super Cup with Al-Ittihad but after a short and difficult time at

Tottenham, Forest fans would have been forgiven for being underwhelmed at his appointment.

He is a meticulous planner of what happens on the pitch which, over the course of a year, has steadily improved

prospects at the City Ground, although he has still benefited from the foundations predecessor Cooper laid.

Cooper’s influence and relationship was crucial to signing Gibbs-White – who he won the Under-17 World Cup with

while England manager – while the now-Leicester boss brought Wood to the club and kept them in the Premier League.

Nuno has built on that success, although he has let his emotions get the better of him on the touchline – despite

promising to rein in the criticism of officials – and in August he was fined £40,000 and given a one-game suspended

ban after his comments following the 2-0 defeat at Everton last season.

That suspension was activated when he was dismissed for contesting Gibbs-White’s red card in the draw at Brighton

in September, meaning he has watched Forest’s last three games from the stands.

Despite Nuno and owner Marinakis’ disciplinary issues, Forest are on a three-game winning run which has propelled

them to third.

Trips to Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United come swiftly after the international break, which starts

after Sunday’s league visit of Newcastle, while they also host Aston Villa and Tottenham before the end of the year.

Those who are sceptical of their chances will point to the fact that five of their 10 games so far have come against the

bottom seven, while their last three games have been against Crystal Palace, Leicester and West Ham, none of whom

have started the season well.

But Forest have gone to Anfield to inflict leaders Liverpool’s only defeat this season and have also claimed draws at

Chelsea and Brighton.