KOLKATA: One year ago, that seemed as likely as Manchester City's meltdown. Halfway through the Premier League season, Forest have accrued five points more than they did in all of 2023-24. And they are the only team to have defeated league leaders Liverpool.
Sunday's 2-0 win at Everton was their eighth clean sheet, the most in the Premier League till December 31 this season. It was also their fifth win on the bounce. The last time that happened, in 1994-95, Forest sealed a berth in Europe. The last time they were this high in the standings, Forest finished third.
Of course, things can unspool from here. West Ham and Southampton have ended seasons in 12th place after being in the top four at Christmas. And who better than Forest to know all about burning brightly but all too briefly. Explains why even after Opta's league prediction model calculated that Forest have a 21.5% chance of finishing fifth, which could be enough for a Champions League slot should English clubs go deep this time, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is not looking that far ahead.
"The table doesn't mean anything," the Portuguese said after Forest beat Tottenham Hotspur.
"We haven't achieved anything." But in that post-match conversation, Santo also spoke of belief in the squad.
This story is from the January 02, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times Bengaluru.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 02, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times Bengaluru.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Jimmy Shergill: OTT ne mere career ka graph utha diya
He has been a part of the Hindi film industry for 28 years, but Jimmy Shergill believes that it's the OTT medium that has helped him explore the lead space in a much better way.
Haaye jhumka! Aamir Khan's silver earrings steal the show
Actor Aamir Khan made a rare appearance with his younger son Azad Rao Khan (13) on Sunday at a restaurant in Bandra (Mumbai).
The curious case of Vidya Balan's post for Rohit Sharma
Actor Vidya Balan has drawn backlash after she made a post on social media in support of India cricketer Rohit Sharma.
No matter what I do, my son will always be my priority: Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza has been jetsetting since her appointment as an ambassador for Dubai's Sports Council in December. But her busy year didn't keep her from ringing in 2025 with her \"forever date\", her six-year-old son Izhaan Mirza Malik.
Love lockdown: OYO's new rule for unmarried couples sparks mixed reactions
On Sunday, the hotel booking platform OYO introduced a new policy that prohibits unmarried couples from checking into its partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Tough questions for India after two debacles in a row
A second series loss raises more questions than answers as head coach's performance comes under the lens
Gambhir, Sharma face BCCI scrutiny
India have lost six of their last eight Tests; they were saved by the weather in Brisbane while the Perth Test win was the only bright spot.
Fan, Ma Long out of tour events over row with ITTF
These are somewhat turbulent times in world table tennis.
How Far Are Our Leagues From Introducing VAR?
Could take up to 18 months to implement it, says Trevor Kettle, federation's chief refereeing officer
Five-Year Plans Back at Niti Aayog to Cut Emissions
Five-year plans that made an unceremonious exit nearly a decade ago are making a quiet comeback, this time to handhold India's decarbonization journey.
