Nottingham Forest notebook: Penalty verdict delivered, 'concrete' transfer interest outlined

Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi goes down under the challenge of Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka

Nuno Espirito Santo will hope to make the most of a week on the training ground with his players ahead of a big game for Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Reds go into this weekend’s clash at home to West Ham United still searching for their first Premier League win of 2024. Defensive errors proved costly against Newcastle United last time out as Nuno’s side fell to a 3-2 defeat at the City Ground.

They remain just two points above the relegation zone, making their meeting with the Hammers a crucial one. Ahead of the match, below is our round-up of the latest goings-on Trentside.

Penalty controversy

If even Alan Shearer suggests Forest should have had a spot-kick against the Magpies, it says much about one of the turning points in the game. And now a former referee has backed the Reds’ complaints about the decision.

Nuno felt it was a “clear penalty” when Taiwo Awoniyi was felled by Martin Dubravka with the score at 2-2. Anthony Taylor waved away the appeals; VAR checked but the referee was not called to go to his monitor. Ex-official Mark Clattenburg, though, has sympathy for Forest.

Writing for the Daily Mail, Clattenburg compares the incident with a penalty Taylor awarded to Liverpool in their home match with Newcastle last month. On that occasion, the referee decided Diogo Jota was tripped by Dubravka and pointed to the spot.

“Soft though it was, the decision was awarded in real time,” Clattenburg says of the penalty given at Anfield. “Awoniyi had more of a case than Jota – the raised right arm of Dubravka made it impossible for him to stay on his feet – yet Forest got nothing.

“VAR Tony Harrington cannot escape blame as he did not take the chance to let his colleague correct his error. It is no wonder Forest fans are asking why it is one rule for the Premier League’s biggest clubs and another for them.”

Reyna arrival

Bolstering their attacking resources was a priority for the Reds in January. It was a relatively quiet window at the City Ground – at least in terms of incomings – but Forest did add to Nuno’s attacking options.

Gio Reyna was one of three new faces added to the squad, along with teenage striker Rodrigo Ribeiro and goalkeeper Matz Sels. The American has made two substitute appearances so far and has shown glimpses of what he has to offer, looking bright and being keen to get on the ball.

Forest fought off competition to sign the 21-year-old on loan from Borussia Dortmund, with Fiorentina having also been keen on his signature. The Italian outfit missing out on Reyna had a knock-on effect as it meant they did not have a replacement for Antonin Barak, who Cagliari wanted.

Cagliari sporting director Nereo Bonato said in a radio interview, in translated quotes relayed by Fiorentina.it: “There were (Albert) Guðmundsson (of Genoa) and Reyna who were Fiorentina’s two big targets and we had seen in the Viola managers the desire to get there at all costs. Unfortunately, Nottingham Forest made a higher offer for Reyna and Genoa preferred to keep Gudmundsson. We had to adapt to these choices.”

Keeper interest

Once Forest had changed their minds about strengthening between the posts in the transfer window, they looked at a number of potential targets. RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was one of the names linked, with suggestions an official request had been put forward to the German club.

And now the 33-year-old has been speaking about how he could have been on the move in January. Although he did not specifically mention Forest, he referred to interest coming from the Premier League.

“There was concrete interest from the Premier League,” Gulacsi told Bild (via Sport Witness). “But I realised that I would get the chance here at some point. And it was a clear no-go for the club. In this respect, the issue was quickly dealt with by both sides.”

‘Marvellous’ Murillo

Plugging Forest’s leaky defence remains a problem for Nuno to solve. But in Murillo there is no doubt the Reds have a talented prospect.

The Brazilian has settled in well since his move to the City Ground from Corinthians last summer and has cemented his place in the team. Sometimes even he cannot believe how much things have changed in a short space of time.

“It’s something surreal to be here today when I think back to where I was this time only last year,” he told Sky Sports. “People tend to go through certain steps to reach this point but for me it has all happened so quickly.

“Around this time last year I was playing for Corinthians U20s in the Copinha (a national youth tournament) and I didn’t even have a car. I was having to use the bus or an Uber to get to training.

“A year on, I have a marvellous structure where everything feels in place. In Brazil, we often talk about there being no certainty over what happens tomorrow so it is about making the most of every moment – especially as a footballer where a career is very short.”

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