Midfielder Ryan Yates is confident Nottingham Forest are starting to gel as a team following a summer overhaul.
After a tough run of results, the Reds have taken small, but no less important, forward steps in their last few games. That progress culminated in Saturday’s memorable 1-0 victory over Liverpool which brought an end to a run of nine Premier League matches without a win.
Forest put in their best performance of the season to see off Jurgen Klopp’s side, with Yates very much at the heart of it. And the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate believes there is plenty more to come, both individually and collectively, as he and his teammates adapt to life in the top-flight.
READ MORE: 'Offer' being weighed up as Forest enter race for £9m Brazilian wonderkid
READ MORE: Simon Jordan dismisses Marinakis decision and Forest win over Liverpool
“I’m loving it. Even in the tough moments, I’m finding out about myself and how far I can push myself mentally and physically,” said the 24-year-old, who has put his body on the line and come away battered and bruised in recent outings.
“I’m absolutely loving it. I feel like I will only improve with more minutes and playing against the opposition I am doing.
“It’s obvious to see we’re becoming more of a team. Even the lads who have come off the bench have done a fantastic job for us.
“The past few weeks especially, we have found a few partnerships around the pitch and are starting to get to know each other a lot more. We’ve got to keep that togetherness and belief, because it’s a long season.
“I’d just give anything to try to get the club doing well. We’ve had a tough period where we’ve had to battle, and we will continue to have to battle. Let’s just keep going.
“If we can beat Liverpool, then we can beat anyone. We haven’t had the best of results, but it’s all about not hiding and going out and performing.
“We’ve given the fans what they deserve. We’ve worked so hard to get here, so let’s enhance the opportunity. We’re not satisfied; we want to keep improving.
“That is what is going to keep us in the league - keeping clean sheets, having a good home record. Let’s keep building. We’re doing well at the moment, so let’s not take anything for granted.
“We’ve got to take so much confidence and belief from results like that. And why not? We’re looking forward to the next game. We’d like it to have come a bit quicker, but hopefully the Emirates (on Sunday) can be another special day.
“Arsenal are flying. We are going in as underdogs again, but inside the dressing room we will feel like we are more than a match for them.”
What's your score prediction against Arsenal? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT:
