A streak of seven matches without a win was concluded in a remarkable fashion as Nottingham Forest secured a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
Chris Wood, making a return to his former club, emerged as the standout performer, scoring three goals in the match. He first equalized with a goal before halftime, nullifying Alexander Isak’s penalty. In the second half, Wood swiftly secured the win for Nottingham Forest with two more goals.
Securing the victory provided the Reds with their initial points under the guidance of new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo. Here’s a glimpse of what the Portuguese coach had to share after the final whistle.
“It’s a great feeling. The players are in high spirits.
“It was a challenging effort. Congratulations to the players for their fantastic performance. We have to acknowledge their hard work, considering we arrived only a few days ago. They deserve credit for quickly adapting to the things we are implementing.”
“We performed well, and the victory was well-earned.
“In the previous match against Bournemouth, we played with 10 men for 75 minutes, making it challenging to showcase our desired style of play. Today, we witnessed the capabilities of the players on the pitch. Our defensive compactness was improved, and we defended the box effectively, a marked improvement from the last game.
“We are in a learning process, gaining valuable insights from each game.
“We posed a constant threat on the counter-attack, displaying speed, and Chris Wood had an exceptional game. His hat-trick was fantastic.
On Wood’s hat-trick…
“Against Bournemouth, he put in tremendous effort and worked hard for the team. While Chris Wood is a well-known player in the game, his performance today was exceptional. The way he scored, especially the second goal with a one-v-one situation and composed finish over the goalkeeper, was remarkable.
“Thanks for the outstanding job today, Chris. I hope he continues this form because the talent is evident.”
On whether Wood can be a prolific striker…
“I strongly believe so. He scored last week, and today, he repeated the feat.
“It’s about the team contributing to his success. It’s not solely on him. It’s about creating chances for him, and I’m very pleased with his performance now.”
On being yet to lose to Newcastle in eight games against them as a manager…
“I wasn’t aware of that. More than my personal record, today was a significant moment for us.
“I’ve just been informed that not many teams have achieved positive results at St James’ Park in the last two seasons. Thanks to the fans because their support was instrumental.”
“We approached it from two perspectives. Firstly, we were seeking energy, especially considering the last match against Bournemouth where we played 75 minutes with one man less. The distances the players had to cover were remarkable and had a significant impact on individuals. We aimed for energy and fresh legs.
“Simultaneously, we wanted to seize the opportunity to assess our options because we need to acknowledge that we have a sizable squad. There will come a moment when tough decisions have to be made. Every game and every training session serve as opportunities for us to gain a better understanding of the players, allowing us to make the right decisions for the club.”
On Morgan Gibbs-White’s performance…
“I had the opportunity to work with Morgan extensively at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was quite young at that time and has shown significant progress.
“Morgan has evolved into a different player, and credit goes to Steve Cooper for bringing him to this level. He is currently performing exceptionally well.”
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