Nuno says quit talk 'absurd' - but will he leave Forest?

Nuno Espirito Santo says he will not discontinue arsenic Nottingham Forest manager, but cannot guarantee he will still beryllium successful complaint by nan extremity of nan transportation window.

The 51-year-old's early was near successful uncertainty erstwhile he revealed connected Friday really his narration pinch proprietor Evangelos Marinakis had "changed" and they "are not arsenic close".

Following Sunday's 1-1 Premier League tie astatine Crystal Palace, Nuno said he would not locomotion distant arsenic boss.

"It is absurd. Never," he added, having earlier said it was "nonsense" that he was trying to technologist his ain exit.

However, nan Portuguese did not supply guarantees he would beryllium astatine Forest beyond 1 September arsenic he revealed discussions will return spot pinch Marinakis and Edu, nan club's world caput of football, complete transfers.

Asked if he would beryllium head astatine nan extremity of nan summertime transportation window, Nuno said: "I cannot reply that question.

"I americium working, and trying to do my occupation nan champion I can. I person had bully conversations [with Marinakis and Edu], to supply a bully level for nan team."

While Edu was coming successful nan stands astatine Selhurst Park, Marinakis was not.

Much of Nuno's unhappiness stems from Forest's activity successful nan transportation marketplace this summer. They person signed 8 elder players and nan head was capable to bring much than £100m of talent disconnected nan chair astatine Palace.

Forwards James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Arnaud Kalimuendo each made their debuts, while midfielder Douglas Luiz was an unused sub.

Another caller arrival, Dan Ndoye - a winger signed for £36m from Bologna - became nan first Forest subordinate to people aliases assistance successful some of his first 2 Premier League games for nan nine since Geoff Thomas successful August 1998, erstwhile he group up a second-half equaliser for Callum Hudson-Odoi.

But Nuno said Forest still request a caller goalkeeper and 2 full-backs.

"They are options," he said of his caller forwards. "If 1 of our wingers tin play full-back, great, but these guys are not full-backs."

Sources person told BBC Sport that Nuno's position is not wholly safe contempt past season's accomplishment of qualifying for Europe. The uncertainty, according to sources, has now stretched to nan playing squad.

But Nuno insists nan bully times tin return while he is successful charge, and, crucially, his narration pinch Marinakis tin still beryllium repaired.

"I judge so," he added. "Everyone wants nan champion for Forest. We want to create harmony."

While nan Forest level whitethorn beryllium divided, nan fans showed astatine Selhurst Park they stay down nan manager.

Nuno took to nan transportation astatine full-time and clapped and gave a thumbs-up to fans, who responded pinch chants of 'Nuno, Nuno, Nuno'.

Then he turned and walked distant - and it remains to beryllium seen whether it will beryllium for nan last time.

Before nan game, Forest fans told nan BBC of their interest for nan early of nan head who had taken them to their highest Premier League position since nan mid-1990s erstwhile they vanished seventh past season.

Fans Lynne and Lisa, speaking to nan BBC's Aaron Paul arsenic they waited for nan distant players to get astatine Selhurst Park, stay hopeful Nuno will stay.

"It came retired nan bluish connected Friday, hopefully it will each get resolved," they said.

The do not blasted Marinakis, though, arsenic they added: "We for illustration his passion. He's spending a batch of money, we can't inquire for more."

The Forest capacity astatine Palace possibly indicated an uncertainty among nan players, lacking nan verve and fluency seen successful their 3-1 opening-game triumph complete Brentford.

Forest did not person a changeable connected target until nan 57th minute, erstwhile Hudson-Odoi's changeable hit Palace keeper Dean Henderson astatine nan adjacent post.

Sympathy for Nuno had been successful short proviso from nan location crowd earlier that equaliser.

"You're getting sacked successful nan morning," mocked immoderate Eagles fans.

But, referring to Palace's demotion from nan Europa League to nan Uefa Conference League for breaching multi-ownership rules, Forest fans responded with, "Europa League, you're having a laugh".

Forest, who took that Europa League spot connected their convention placing, vanished overmuch nan stronger broadside and almost snatched triumph successful added time.

Striker Igor Jesus struck nan post, while Hutchinson lifted a changeable complete nan barroom aft an awesome precocious cameo.

It meant Forest missed nan chance of successive wins to commencement a top-flight play for nan first clip since 1987-88 nether Brian Clough, but stretched their unbeaten Premier League tally against Palace to 11 games.

While Nuno whitethorn dream to find a solution to stay, tin he really expect to travel retired connected apical successful a conflict pinch nan proprietor and caput of football?

"This is simply a conflict that Nuno will lose," European shot master Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We each cognize that erstwhile you commencement questioning your owner, it's done. For him to travel retired pinch this unprompted, he offered it to nan full world, he knows that it is coming and that he can't triumph this battle.

"We besides cognize that him and Edu don't get on. He was already location erstwhile Edu arrived astatine nan club, and we each cognize erstwhile a caller sporting head arrives, they for illustration to travel pinch their ain people."

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said Nuno whitethorn see resigning now that nan narration was "broken".

"Nuno's banal is truthful precocious pinch nan fanbase, they will want to afloat judge successful him," he told BBC Radio 5 Live, earlier nan head insisted he would not leave.

"But it is besides truthful awkward for them because they will beryllium grateful for what nan proprietor has done for nan nine successful nan past fewer years.

"With Edu coming into nan nine successful specified an important position, he will want his ain group successful play, because they will ne'er really afloat spot nan personification that is already successful play? If he could prime a head now, would he prime Nuno? No.

"That will beryllium nagging for arsenic agelong arsenic possible, but Marinakis and Edu won't beryllium rooting for him to neglect truthful they tin make nan change.

"But nan narration is surgery and I would not beryllium amazed if Nuno walks earlier he is sacked."