Nottingham Forest remains in the running for the Champions League, offering hope to fans wishing to see Manchester City experience comedic lows during Pep Guardiola’s tenure.
Exciting Start to the Year
As of mid-January, Nottingham Forest had secured their seventh win in eight matches, tying them with Arsenal for second place and keeping them within six points of Liverpool at the top. By early April, they extended their lead over sixth-placed Newcastle to seven points.
Astonishing Achievement
Qualifying for European football would be a remarkable success for a Nottingham Forest team that finished 17th last season with less than half the points they’ve gathered this season with one game remaining.
Potential Disappointment
However, not qualifying for the Champions League after holding a spot for much of the season would sting, especially after a run of only one win in six matches allowed more conventional competitors to creep in.
Last Chance for Europe
It seems unlikely we’ll witness Evangelos Marinakis storming the Bernabeu for any unusual reasons, as Forest currently holds a Conference League spot with one game left to play. The final match at the City Ground against Chelsea could be pivotal, as Forest aims to make history, much like they did at the London Stadium.
Gaining Confidence
Despite a lengthy VAR check for Nikola Milenkovic’s goal midway through the second half, fans should have felt secure knowing Forest has won 17 out of 24 games when scoring first this season. Meanwhile, West Ham has struggled, losing 16 of 22 games after falling behind.
Future Prospects
Forest’s recent win keeps alive the exciting possibility of five teams competing for three Champions League spots on the final day. All that’s needed is a Newcastle defeat against Arsenal and a Manchester City loss to Bournemouth—a scenario that may not be improbable. If that occurs, the prospect of City participating in the Conference League arises, making their FA Cup final loss even sweeter for fans.
Final Thoughts
So, hats off to Nottingham Forest. They are still contesting for their coveted prize and have given all of us hope that City might fall further during Guardiola’s regime, pending the outcome of their pending charges.
