Garry Birtles hated something Nuno Espirito Santo did in Nottingham Forest defeat, Brian Clough would be fuming

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Nottingham Forest were beaten 1-0 by Everton on Saturday to leave the hopes of Champions League football faltering ahead of the home straight.

Nuno Espirito Santo will see his side still sitting in third place in the Premier League table. However, Forest will slip out of that position for the first time since December should Newcastle win their game in hand against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Still, had you asked any Forest fan whether they’d take being in a battle for Champions League football with six games remaining, the consensus would have been that we’d absolutely take it.

The Reds have had some injury issues at just the wrong time. Last weekend against Aston Villa, Espirito Santo didn’t have a striker to call upon with Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi both out injured, whilst Ola Aina is also nursing a problem with his calf at the moment.

A full week lies in store before Forest are next in action. By the time the Monday Night Football offering comes around against Tottenham, the Reds could find themselves in seventh place and that would really set the anxiety levels raging.

• READ MORE: Morato makes claim about Nottingham Forest success

Garry Birtles unhappy with one Nuno Espirito Santo mistake vs Everton

Birtles won the European Cup with Forest and played under the iconic Brian Clough during his playing days on the banks of the River Trent. As a result, he still has a big association with Forest and watches all of the games.

On Saturday, Espirito Santo made the decision to start with Jota Silva, leaving Anthony Elanga on the bench after he was withdrawn following an injury sustained against Aston Viilla the week previous.

Although Elanga came on in the second half, he was unable to really get things going for Forest and Birtles doesn’t believe that he should have been a substitute, suggesting that if he’s fit enough for the bench, he’s fit enough to be starting.

He told the Forest Focus podcast: “Elanga could have come on after two minutes and pulled a hamstring. He’s come on in the second half, but he could have started.

“If you’re on the bench, you’re fit. Brian Clough always used to say that you’d always trust a player to say he’s fit, and if they pull up, it’s their fault. I just didn’t like it, it’s my only criticism from Saturday really.”

Anthony Elanga stats vs Everton

Everton had already gained a foothold in the game by the time Elanga came on which proved detrimental to Forest. In fairness, the Toffees deserved their victory and ultimately, there can be few complaints that they nicked the win.

Elanga was clearly not quite fit to play from the off, but Birtles perhaps had a point. Surely, it’d have been wiser to start him, get the game sewn up and then look to withdraw him for fresher legs.

Still, all is not lost, and now Elanga and a few other players have a full week to rest and recover before the next challenge lies in store when Tottenham are the next opponents.

Birtles makes a very good point here. However, the game has perhaps moved on a little bit and with all the different sports science structures and policies perhaps Espirito Santo was simply left with no choice over Elanga.