LIKE ANY TRUE modern Premier League fairytale, Nottingham Forest’s story begins with a points deduction for breaching financial regulations.
Nine months on from being hit with four-point penalty for their failure to comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), the two-time European champions sit in third spot, only off second-place Arsenal on goal difference.
In March it looked as if that punishment might lead to relegation. They dropped into the bottom three as a result of the deduction. It would have been worse and possibly even matched the 10 points Everton had docked – reduced to six on appeal – had they not admitted their guilt early and fully cooperated with the independent commission.
At the time, Forest released a statement insisting that they were “extremely disappointed” after they exceeded the permitted losses of £61 million by more than half that (£34.5m).
The Premier League initially sought an eight-point deduction and, who knows, had they go their wish than Forest may well be in the Championship now instead of playing their part in the most unlikely of title races.
It’s not just that they survived with six points to spare thanks to the appointment of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, but Forest also felt like a basket case of a club for other reasons. They were gripped by fear and paranoia – going so far as to publicly accuse one official of being a supporter of a rival club in a social media post.
At the heart of all this ridiculous furore was Mark Clattenburg, the former referee who had been appointed as a consultant by the club last February but resigned in May when the English FA charged them over the accusations made on social media.
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This is a different kind of madness Forest are revelling in. Six wins on the spin has helped to ensure that they welcome league leaders Liverpool to the City Ground tonight in a week that dramatically could swing the pendulum of that title race.
It’s only mid-January but that’s the nature of the beast given Liverpool also have a game in hand and could stretch their lead at the top to nine points should they win, and Tottenham Hotspur do the same in the North London derby tomorrow.
Given Mikel Arteta’s side have lost back-to-back home games in less than a week to Newcastle and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, respectively, even a struggling Spurs side will fancy their chances of piling on the misery.
For Forest, such is their ambition under owner Evangelos Marinakis, they were even able to prise Arsenal sporting director Edu away from that role and into one that will see the Brazilian be a prominent figure in the multi-club model established by the Greek tycoon.
Liverpool may have title number 20 in their sights – a record currently held alone by United – but the story of this week is whether Forest can cut the gap to three points.
Not since Leicester City’s historic Premier League title win in the 2015/16 season has such an outsider been in with a chance. Almost a decade on from that triumph, Forest can prove they really are in the mix by completing the double over Liverpool in this campaign.
That 1-0 win at Anfield remains Arne Slot’s side’s only defeat in the league, and it won’t be lost on Forest’s fans that somehow matching the achievement of Leicester would also be all the sweeter given the rivalry between the two clubs just 40 minutes apart in England’s East Midlands.
Slot, too, wasn’t going to patronise Forest this week but he did antagonise somewhat. “If you look at the money they spent, it’s not a complete surprise,” he said of their season.
Understandably, Espirito Santo preferred to speak about the application of his squad and ability to
“I don’t know the spending, I don’t know the value. That doesn’t happen,” he said.
“I look at the player as a human being and how I can make them better. How can I make you better? Money doesn’t play football, people do. It’s not my issue, we are not concerned about the price tag of things.”
The Premier League are, though, and yesterday also saw stories emerge about the latest potential breaches of PSR.
The PA news agency reported that the Premier League will today “issue any complaints to clubs in breach of its profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), and therefore at risk of a points deduction.”
In that same report it’s stated that Forest are confident of their compliance and do not face the threat of further sanction.
All they have to worry about is the football and, whether they are in fact in this title race after tonight.
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Nottingham Forest hoping fairytale with a twist can knock Liverpool off title course
LIKE ANY TRUE modern Premier League fairytale, Nottingham Forest’s story begins with a points deduction for breaching financial regulations.
Nine months on from being hit with four-point penalty for their failure to comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), the two-time European champions sit in third spot, only off second-place Arsenal on goal difference.
In March it looked as if that punishment might lead to relegation. They dropped into the bottom three as a result of the deduction. It would have been worse and possibly even matched the 10 points Everton had docked – reduced to six on appeal – had they not admitted their guilt early and fully cooperated with the independent commission.
At the time, Forest released a statement insisting that they were “extremely disappointed” after they exceeded the permitted losses of £61 million by more than half that (£34.5m).
The Premier League initially sought an eight-point deduction and, who knows, had they go their wish than Forest may well be in the Championship now instead of playing their part in the most unlikely of title races.
It’s not just that they survived with six points to spare thanks to the appointment of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, but Forest also felt like a basket case of a club for other reasons. They were gripped by fear and paranoia – going so far as to publicly accuse one official of being a supporter of a rival club in a social media post.
At the heart of all this ridiculous furore was Mark Clattenburg, the former referee who had been appointed as a consultant by the club last February but resigned in May when the English FA charged them over the accusations made on social media.
This is a different kind of madness Forest are revelling in. Six wins on the spin has helped to ensure that they welcome league leaders Liverpool to the City Ground tonight in a week that dramatically could swing the pendulum of that title race.
It’s only mid-January but that’s the nature of the beast given Liverpool also have a game in hand and could stretch their lead at the top to nine points should they win, and Tottenham Hotspur do the same in the North London derby tomorrow.
Given Mikel Arteta’s side have lost back-to-back home games in less than a week to Newcastle and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, respectively, even a struggling Spurs side will fancy their chances of piling on the misery.
For Forest, such is their ambition under owner Evangelos Marinakis, they were even able to prise Arsenal sporting director Edu away from that role and into one that will see the Brazilian be a prominent figure in the multi-club model established by the Greek tycoon.
Liverpool may have title number 20 in their sights – a record currently held alone by United – but the story of this week is whether Forest can cut the gap to three points.
Not since Leicester City’s historic Premier League title win in the 2015/16 season has such an outsider been in with a chance. Almost a decade on from that triumph, Forest can prove they really are in the mix by completing the double over Liverpool in this campaign.
That 1-0 win at Anfield remains Arne Slot’s side’s only defeat in the league, and it won’t be lost on Forest’s fans that somehow matching the achievement of Leicester would also be all the sweeter given the rivalry between the two clubs just 40 minutes apart in England’s East Midlands.
Slot, too, wasn’t going to patronise Forest this week but he did antagonise somewhat. “If you look at the money they spent, it’s not a complete surprise,” he said of their season.
Understandably, Espirito Santo preferred to speak about the application of his squad and ability to
“I don’t know the spending, I don’t know the value. That doesn’t happen,” he said.
“I look at the player as a human being and how I can make them better. How can I make you better? Money doesn’t play football, people do. It’s not my issue, we are not concerned about the price tag of things.”
The Premier League are, though, and yesterday also saw stories emerge about the latest potential breaches of PSR.
The PA news agency reported that the Premier League will today “issue any complaints to clubs in breach of its profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), and therefore at risk of a points deduction.”
In that same report it’s stated that Forest are confident of their compliance and do not face the threat of further sanction.
All they have to worry about is the football and, whether they are in fact in this title race after tonight.
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Liverpool manic Nottingham Forest Premier League Soccer