Gearing up to cover Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool at an atmospheric City Ground
I've arrived in the fine city of Nottingham to cover the blockbuster Premier League clash, Forest vs Liverpool this evening
Hello,
Happy Tuesday!
I’m writing this from my hotel room in Nottingham, having just driven up to this fine city to cover Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool later tonight.
It promises to be a huge clash, not just between two in-form sides deservedly sitting first and third in the Premier League respectively.
It’s also important from an Arsenal point of view, because a win for Forest this evening at a atmospheric, sold out City Ground, could leave the Gunners a mere three points behind Ernie Slot’s table toppers in 24 hours - if Spurs are beaten at the Emirates on Wednesday.
A couple of big “if’s”, but, then, if you’re competing for the title, you simply have to believe.
I must admit, as journalist, I’m very much looking forward to reporting on the big match tonight, and the adrenaline is already starting to flow.
It’s the same whether I cover Hitchin Town, or the Champions League final - the worst bit is in the hours before kick-off, when your pre-match pieces have all been published, you’ve done all your research, but yet, you’re still ages away from entering the media room, where the clock starts ticking down for real.
They say sportspeople have the best job in the world. And perhaps they do.
But for me, there’s nothing better than being a sports journalist - even after more than a decade I still leap out of bed every morning in anticipation of what the day will bring.
See you on the other side.
My Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool preview for today’s Morning Star newspaper
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Liverpool boss Slot insists Forest “deserve” to be treated as title contenders
By Layth Yousif
A SOLD-OUT City Ground will be the place to be tonight, when Nuno Espirito Santo’s side host Arne Slot’s table toppers, only six points behind the Anfield outfit in third spot.
After successfully avoiding relegation last year, Forest have lost a mere four times in 20 league matches this term — with Nuno’s side the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the Premier League so far, after their eye-catching 1-0 victory on Merseyside back in September.
“I’ve always said you can judge the table best halfway through the season,” said Liverpool boss Slot, previewing the match.
“That moment is there now, so if Forest is then up there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea and [Manchester] City and all the others, then they definitely are a team in competition with us and with the other teams.
“They deserve to be treated like this if you look at the way they play and if you look at their results.”
Key players will be missing for Liverpool, giving Forest further impetus.
Slot’s striker Darwin Nunez is suspended for Tuesday’s clash — leaving last season’s match-winner at the City Ground, with his 99th minute goal in a 1-0 victory for then boss Jurgen Klopp’s team, sidelined for this week’s big clash. Reds centre-back Joe Gomez is also “quite far” from returning to fitness after a hamstring injury.
However, a rather more circumspect Nuno played down Slot’s assertion.
When quizzed if the Liverpool boss was attempting to play mind games during his pre-match press conference, Forest’s popular Portuguese boss replied: “I don’t know. We try as much as possible to ignore what’s around.
“We never change. The way we see things is the way we see the competition and the way we see life. It’s day by day, focus on our tasks, and [Liverpool] is another tough one.
“Nothing changes in our approach. It’s the same.
“We know what we can do, how we want to do things, and we know each other — our strengths and weaknesses,” adding, “let’s play the game.”
Forest have been viewed as this season’s surprise package, given the fact they sit above billionaire moneybags Manchester City which, despite poor form, are still the reigning champions after lifting the title for an unprecedented four years in a row, with Nuno’s impressive side also now competing with the likes of successive runners-up Arsenal.
Fighting two relegation battles on the bounce since their return to the top-flight, Forest boss Nuno insisted nobody would have expected the club to be where they are, in only their third campaign back among the top table elite, following two decades in the wilderness.
“No-one could’ve predicted what is happening.
“It is the ambition and desire to do things well and the hard work and commitment of the players,” that has propelled Forest to their heady position, the modest manager explained.
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