'I'm totally relaxed' – Nuno feels secure at Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo is "relaxed" amid speculation around his future, ahead of his Nottingham Forest side entertaining West Ham on Sunday.

Forest will look to build on an unbeaten start to the season, after they comfortably saw off Brentford 3-1 in their 2025-26 curtain-raiser before securing a 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace.

The Tricky Trees have reason for optimism after discovering their Europa League draw on Friday, as well as seeing Elliot Anderson receive his first England call-up and landing the signing of Nicolo Savona from Juventus.

Despite Nuno's future as head coach at the City Ground being steeped in uncertainty, due to issues with the club's leadership, the former Tottenham boss is confident in his and Evangelos Marinakis' shared ambition for the club.

"The answer against Crystal Palace was very good. We have been able to shield players from the noise and they are focused on the tasks. They are mature in their attitude for preparing the game,” Nuno said.

“Yes, in that sense I’m totally relaxed. I think we need to have a talk about the future of the club and how we should address it after the transfer market [closes] and what is the commitment to the club.

“I think me and the president [Marinakis] want the same thing; we want the best for Forest, that’s for sure.”

Speculation over Nuno's future may roll on, though key attacker Callum Hudson-Odoi has signed a fresh three-year deal with Forest.

West Ham, meanwhile, are winless in their opening three games this season, having lost 3-0 and 5-1 to Sunderland and Chelsea, respectively, in the league, followed by a 3-2 defeat to Wolves in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

With pressure mounting on Graham Potter and his side, having conceded 11 goals in three games, the Irons will be desperate to avoid three consecutive defeats, having done so in four previous Premier League seasons (2010-11, 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2022-23), with only Southampton doing so as often (six times).

The Hammers have been proactive in the transfer market this week, securing the signings of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa from Southampton and Monaco, albeit reports on Saturday suggested Lucas Paqueta had been asked to be left out against Forest due to speculation over his future.

"I'm an experienced manager, I try my best, and it's my job to help the players," Potter said.

"We're all hurting, because the pre-season was encouraging. But the results haven't been what we want and we are not shying away from the fact that things haven't been good.

"But at the same time, there are a lot connections and commitment in the team. And I don't think we are far away from a performance and a result that gets things on a good path."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nottingham Forest – Dan Ndoye

After arriving from Bologna in the summer, Ndoye has made an immediate impact for Forest, contributing to a goal in each of his first two Premier League matches with one goal and one assist.

No player in Forest’s history has registered a goal involvement in each of their first three league appearances for the club. This follows a productive season in Serie A, where Ndoye tallied eight goals and four assists for Bologna across 30 matches.

West Ham – Mateus Fernandes 

The Hammers have reportedly splashed out upwards of £40m to bring in Fernandes, who scored three goals and provided six assists in all competitions for Southampton last term.

With Paqueta potentially missing, Fernandes may well get thrown straight into the fray on Sunday.

MATCH PREDICTION: NOTTINGHAM FOREST WIN

Forest are aiming to secure back-to-back home league wins to start a season for the first time since the 2017-18 Championship campaign; in the top flight, they have not achieved this feat since the 1984-85 season.

The Tricky Trees have won their last three Premier League meetings against West Ham, in contrast to recording only two wins in their first eleven encounters in the competition (three draws, six losses).

Forward Chris Wood has scored eight times against West Ham in the Premier League, his highest tally against any opponent, and has also netted eight goals in his previous ten home matches, including a brace against Brentford on the opening day.

Since Potter took charge of West Ham on January 14, no ever-present Premier League team has earned fewer points than the Hammers (20 points). Since the start of March, the Hammers have managed just two wins in 13 games, drawing four and losing seven.

West Ham have failed to score in any of their last four Premier League visits to the City Ground, posting one draw and three defeats; the last West Ham player to find the net there was Michael Hughes in September 1996.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nottingham Forest: 55.0%

Draw: 23.8%

West Ham: 21.1%