Forest's game at Brentford on Saturday marked Nuno’s one-year anniversary in charge having replaced Steve Cooper with the team 17^th in the table.

The match itself was a perfect illustration of what the former Spurs boss has brought to Nottingham - a cohesive side, regardless of formation, with plenty of hard work.

Nuno switched from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-3 with great effect, to become the first team to win at the Gtech Community Stadium this season.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson played as the midfield two and were able to play to their more attacking minded tendencies with the protection of a three-man defence behind them.

With no holding midfielders available to start due to injury, it proved to be a smart workaround for their 2-0 victory in West London.

Even in a shock win at Liverpool, Arne Slot’s only defeat as manager, Nuno pulled a tactical surprise out of the bag.

His decision to start the game without a winger raised eyebrows, but by playing a bunch of central-midfielders, Forest clogged up the pitch to nullify the Reds’ desire to control the game.

With Liverpool pressing more aggressively for a winner into the second half, Nuno drip-fed wide players into the game, with substitutes Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi linking up for the game’s only goal on the counterattack.

Forest are the only side to have stopped Liverpool scoring this season, while three crucial signings over the past 18 months have helped them become a more defensively sound side.

Murillo joined in the summer of 2023 - able to play out from the back while proving to be one of the strongest defenders around. He’ll normally make at least one marauding run out from centre-back per game, while the Brazilian has developed a reputation for occasionally trying to score from near the halfway line.

The club have signed many goalkeepers since their 2022 promotion, but the February 2024 move for Mats Sels from Strasbourg seems to have finally settled the disruption in that position, boasting the second-most clean sheets in the Premier League (6).

Then there’s Nikola Milenkovic - a towering £12m revelation from Fiorentina. Having scored in two of Forest’s previous three games, the Serbian’s not only good at defending set-pieces but a threat from them too.

Those three usually start in Forest’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, with Gibbs-White playing behind centre-forward Chris Wood.

The New Zealand international is in the form of his career having scored 10 Premier League goals in 17 games. Nuno’s arrival revitalised him, ending the 23/24 campaign with 14 goals.

The 33-year-old even recently said: “I feel my best years are still ahead of me."

Standing at 6 foot 3, he has an excellent ability to hold up the ball, and if Forest work it wide he’ll charge head-down for the penalty area, ready to meet a cross or cut-back.

Most of his goals come around the six-yard-box and if Gibbs-White, a recent England debutant, gets in possession near the area, he’s expecting the ball to come his way.

Wood will be some challenge for whoever starts at centre-back, and fresh faces will be key for such a tough Spurs’ away day.

Rodrigo Bentancur returns from suspension, while Destiny Udogie and Timo Werner were both back on the bench against Liverpool after injury and illness respectively - Udogie expected to be fully fit for the City Ground.

Lucas Bergvall impressed on his first Premier League start against Southampton too, while Brennan Johnson has been a used substitute in recent matches.

Is there a case for all five players to come in to the team and provide the energy perhaps needed after a remarkably demanding run of fixtures? We'll find out at 1.45pm on Boxing Day!