In the fourth round of the Premier League this weekend, the opening match will see Arsenal host Nottingham Forest. Ahead of this fixture, Forest made a surprising decision. After just three rounds of the Premier League, the first managerial casualty has already emerged: despite leading Manchester City by one point and having just signed a contract extension, a head coach has been sacked.
At the start of the new Premier League season, both Manchester clubs have struggled. City lost consecutively to Spurs and Brighton, opening with one win and two defeats, collecting only 3 points and currently sitting 13th. United, with one win, one draw, and one defeat, have 4 points and are 9th. Despite heavy spending in the summer transfer window, Pep Guardiola and Rúben Amorim are both under scrutiny, with their positions being questioned. Both had already lost significant support from their fan bases last season, and this campaign hasn’t improved perceptions.
However, while Guardiola and Amorim remain in their posts, it was Forest boss Nuno who became the first to lose his job. Today, Nottingham Forest officially confirmed that Nuno has been relieved of his duties. Nuno was considered a key figure for the club—he led Forest to survival in the 2023–24 season, then guided them to 7th place last season, earning Europa League qualification. He was also named Premier League Manager of the Month three times during his tenure.
In June this year, after his strong performances, Nuno received full backing from the Forest board, signing a new contract until 2028. Yet only weeks into the season, that honeymoon is over—Nuno has been sacked. This season, Forest have beaten Brentford, drawn with Crystal Palace, and lost to West Ham, taking 4 points—one more than Guardiola’s title-chasing Manchester City. His dismissal is therefore highly unexpected.
Nuno’s departure clearly wasn’t based mainly on results. After selling last season’s key winger Anthony Elanga (6 goals and 12 assists), Forest are currently 10th in the table, which is acceptable. The real reason is the deterioration of Nuno’s relationship with the club’s hierarchy. He admitted in an interview that his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis wasn’t great, and he also clashed with sporting director Edu.
After leaving Arsenal, Edu joined Forest, where he oversaw the €43.4m signing of Hutchinson from Ipswich—making him Forest’s record transfer—and also secured the loan of Oleksandr Zinchenko from his former club Arsenal. Nuno, however, clearly did not fancy the new arrivals, leaving both players out of the Europa League squad. The growing friction with the board ultimately led to Nuno’s dismissal. José Mourinho is now one of the candidates being considered as Forest’s new manager.
