CALLUM TO GET BLUE
Hudson-Odoi can hurt his former club
CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI has been backed to show Chelsea what they are missing — as Nottingham Forest bid to seal safety today.
The 17th-placed Reds begin the day three points clear of the drop zone after this week failing in their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching Premier League PSR rules.
Hudson-Odoi’s brace in last weekend’s crucial 3-1 win at Sheffield United helped hand Forest the advantage in their survival scrap with Luton and Burnley heading into the final two games.
Bargain
It also provided yet more evidence Hudson-Odoi (23) is one of the bargain buys of the season after Chelsea let the Champions League winner join Forest for a cut-price €5million last summer.
That made it seven
Premier League goals for the campaign and there are signs the winger, who was a target for Bayern Munich at the turn of the decade, is recapturing the form of old.
Forest boss
Nuno Espirito
Santo said: “There is a lot more to come.
“He is showing a lot of improvement.
“But the most difficult part is to sustain the level of performance he produced.
“That’s the big challenge that he has individually — and as a team — to improve and do better and keep on going these two games.”
Pressure
Depending on how rivals Burnley and Luton fare in their 3pm matches, Forest could find themselves either safe or under mounting pressure by the time they kick off at 5.30pm.
Nuno added: “We cannot change the situation. It feels as though we often play after our rivals.
“That (kicking off first) is better, because it is like a penalty shoot out.
“You always choose to go first, because if you do your job, it adds an extra element of pressure to your opponent.”
Anything but a victory at Tottenham for Burnley, who trail the Reds by five points but host them on the final day, would end the Clarets’ survival hopes.
Luton are three points adrift, but Forest’s vastly superior goal difference means defeat at West Ham would leave them needing a miracle.
Nuno added: “We can’t get distracted by what’s happening in other stadiums.
“Let’s just focus on ourselves. We prepared for the game on Thursday at the City Ground. We are ready to go.
Return
“When we arrive the other games will be in their second half.
“Normally we have a television on in the dressing room, but we will just try to keep the preparations normal.”
One boost for Forest has been the return of last season’s leading scorer Taiwo Awoniyi after an injury-hit season.
Forest manager Nuno added: “He is improving but we have to manage the situation really carefully.
“If he can give us a hand and maybe more minutes (than his 89th-minute cameo last weekend) I think it’s good for us as he has quality.”