Forest step up at end of emotional week to have one more chance

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DREAM STILL ALIVE GOING INTO FINAL GAME

- By SARAH CLAPSON

FULL-TIME in the capital was met with an almighty roar from the away end. There was no getting away from the importance of this result for Nottingham Forest.

The fans knew it, Nuno Espirito Santo knew it and the players knew it. The final whistle was almost like a release; a realisation, too, that the fight is not over.

The Reds have been flagging a little in recent weeks. Prior to Sunday's 2-1 triumph over West Ham United, they were on a run of one win in six Premier League games.

In the final minutes against the Hammers, it was tense as an exhilarating and gripping affair played on and on. Forest have another 90 minutes of such nerve-shredding, adrenaline-inducing torture still to come - but they will absolutely take that.

Their Champions League dream remains alive going into the final day of the season.

Now, one more game. One last big showdown. One final push to determine their fate.

And it will take place at the City Ground.

Nuno's side are still in this battle. It isn't all in their own hands - they do need others to slip up but they have a chance.

Below, is a look at some of the big talking points from the game at the London Stadium.

Emotional week

Head coach Nuno's final message to his players before they took to the pitch on Sunday was "to do it for Taiwo".

The Reds didn't need any extra motivation but uniting in support of their stricken team-mate does seem to have galvanised them right at the moment when their campaign was in danger of fizzling out.

Understandably, it had been a difficult week. Preparations for the trip south had not been particularly easy, with everyone at the City Ground preoccupied with concern for seriously-injured striker Taiwo Awoniyi.