Nottingham, April 22 -- Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo admitted that no one at the club expected that they would sit in the third spot in the month of April, but has backed his team to embrace the challenge of holding onto the spot that would see them qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.

Nottingham Forest slipped to sixth in the Premier League standings in the aftermath of Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa victories over the weekend, but responded with aplomb against Tottenham Hotspur and secured a 1-2 triumph.

Efforts by Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood put Nottingham in control, and Richarlison's late header proved ineffective as Forest climbed to the third spot with 60 points.

"First of all, we h...