Cooper: Bring on the Blades

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By SIMON BIRD at the MKM Stadium

STEVE COOPER declared Nottingham Forest in

“great shape” for the playoffs – after a chaotic finale at Hull.

The promotion-chasers blew a third-place finish as they slipped up in injury time – setting up a play-off semi-final against Sheffield United.

But Cooper (above) hailed Forest’s brilliant revival this season and called on his players to finish the job.

Brennan Johnson smashed home a 92nd-minute penalty, which should have earned Forest the win and their best points total in the second tier since 1998.

But England Under-21 winger Keane Lewis-Potter ruined their chance of finishing ahead of Huddersfield by nicking the equaliser in the 94th minute.

Forest have leapt from a 17th-place finish last season, when they were 25 points adrift of the play-off zone, to fourth this term.

Cooper said: “I think we are in great shape for the play-offs. We were not concerned who we got.

“It’s Sheffield United, and we look forward to it.

“We wanted to win and finish third. To come from bottom of the league to third is great, so fourth is also good.

“The play-offs are unique games and no matter who you play it is going to be a challenge.

“Sheffield United? I have not thought about them much yet.

“Two big stadia, two big clubs with passionate fan bases.

“It will be a really good semi-final. We are very happy not to be going on holiday. We’ve had nine games in a month and know how hard that has been and the emotion of it. “We got the penalty and took it and I thought, ‘Manage this’, and we did the opposite, which was disappointing.”

Forest kept their key players fit for the semi-final and cruised through, taking few risks.

Tigers boss Shota Arveladze confirmed veteran Tom Huddlestone is leaving Hull, who had their best home league crowd for five years.

Asked if Lewis-Potter would still be at Hull next season, Arveladze said:

“We will offer him the best we can for his future. Financial and also to progress. The chairman wants him. The coach is crazy about him.”