Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo faces resolution over whether or not to proceed benching large weapons for FA Cup semi-final

Nuno Espirito Santo is making a habit of looking anywhere but the pitch when Nottingham Forest go to penalties. On the basis of this year’s FA Cup, his anxieties are growing more misplaced by the round.

After three successive shootouts, Forest are into the semi-finals, which sits rather nicely with their standing in the Premier League.

But there is another policy within this run that might be worthy of review. It concerns Nuno’s allocation of resources to the different competitions, given there was a risk of looking daft had Brighton not rebounded off the great wall of Matz Sels.

With Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga reduced to bench roles, Wayne Rooney was not alone in querying the wisdom. As he said in his punditry: ‘I am shocked. The FA Cup is such a prestigious tournament and you’ve a great opportunity to get to a semi-final. If I was a fan I would be fuming.’

Results have a habit of sweeping away these concerns, but Nuno defended the decision after the game, saying the Cup ties have been a ‘reward for players without minutes in the Premier League’.

Even with Champions League qualification in reach, that stance will presumably be tested with Forest’s first FA Cup semi-final since 1991, though Nuno was non-committal when asked if it would be changed at Wembley, where they face Manchester City.

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has a selection dilemma for the FA Cup semi-final

Callum Hudson-Odoi only featured as a substitute against Brighton, as did Anthony Elanga

After overcoming Brighton on penalties, Forest will face Manchester City in the last four

Forest are anxiously waiting the return of Chris Wood, who is struggling with a hip injury

Ryan Yates’s suspension for that fixture following his yellow card at Brighton will at least ease some of the dilemma, albeit at the cost of a captain who scored the winning penalty. That Yates had his moment was down to two saves in the shootout by Sels, adding to a couple more in the previous two rounds.

He already has the most clean sheets in the Premier League in 2024-25, so he has a strong claim to being the best goalkeeper of the season. His £5m transfer fee 14 months ago is also ageing particularly well. 

The 33-year-old Belgian said: ‘Over the last few weeks we have worked on penalties. It’s different in training of course and there is more pressure in the match. I’m happy to help the team and save two penalties.

‘It’s been a few years since the supporters have been to a semi-final so we’ll look forward to it as a team, hopefully we can go there and do something greater.’

Forest will anxiously await the return of Chris Wood, who was absent after suffering a hip injury on international duty with New Zealand.

Nuno said his condition is ‘not good’. ‘Let’s wait and see,’ he added. ‘It is going to be day by day, we have to assess him. It is all about the pain he has.

‘It was a big impact on his hip and it is very painful. We have to assess him.

We are gutted that Chris was not here with us.’

Forest host Manchester United in the Premier League on Tuesday, but asked if Wood would be available Nuno said: ‘I cannot answer that. I don’t know, I’m not sure. It is going to be day by day.’