Newly promoted Nottingham Forest invested a staggering sum in the squad this season. Since the turn of the year, those expenses have ensured that the club has the wind in its sails. In fact, the relegation fighters are the best Premier League team of the calendar year.
Initially, Nottingham seemed to grow into a joke this season. The club returned to the Premier League after more than two decades, but after opening a can of new players last summer, it was in the lower echelons of the British top competition for a long time. The red lantern was even positioned for a long time in front of the main entrance of the City Ground stadium. The success of manager Steve Cooper seemed to be equally fatal to the coach himself, because the call for an experienced top coach became increasingly loud. However, the trainer, who had led Nottingham to promotion, retained the confidence of the club management.
Since the World Cup, however, Cooper has got things on track. On a visit to coach Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, Nottingham lost on Christmas Day, but from the turn of the year it has been the team to beat in the Premier League. First Chelsea was held to a draw, then great victories over Southampton and Leicester City followed and Cooper’s team played a draw against Bournemouth. On Sunday, Leeds United was defeated at home. In the meantime, only Ten Hag was able to control Cooper’s whims again, twice in fact, but that was in the diptych of the semi-final of the League Cup.
Premier League standings in 2023
| Club | Points | |
| 1 | Nottingham Forest | 11 |
| 2 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 10 |
| 3 | Brentford | 10 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 10 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 10 |
While Liverpool are in deep trouble, Chelsea are having a disastrous season and Manchester City keep forgetting to close the gap to league leaders Arsenal, Nottingham is the Premier League’s side to beat in 2023. No one has taken more points than The Garibaldis so far. With the caveat that Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth played a game less. Nevertheless, Cooper’s work is praised in England.
“He’s an exceptional manager,” BBC analyst James McFadden praised Cooper. He did so after the semi-final elimination against Ten Hag, when Cooper was furious, while he was lovingly embraced by his own fans. “The last thing he wants is a pat on the back. Cooper has the same standards as Ten Hag and demands the maximum every time. Even if that is against Manchester United in a semi-final.”
