Alex Moreno last started a Premier League game for Nottingham Forest in early December. The Spanish left-back has started all three FA Cup games but has been a peripheral figure since then.
Yet Moreno, who is on loan from Aston Villa, was at the heart of Forest’s celebrations in the 4-2 win over Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
It has become a tradition for the 31-year-old to celebrate with fans after victories and it was no different in Suffolk.
Some of the most encouraging moments of the win away to Ipswich did not happen during the game. The sight of unused substitute Moreno, encouraged by his team-mates, stepping forward to do an impromptu jig by the side of the pitch was one of them.
With nine games to go, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has the opportunity to return to Europe — to the Champions League — for the first time in three decades.
They are not there yet. They still have work to do. But the Opta supercomputer believes that Forest have an 85.6 per cent chance of finishing in the top five.
Sitting with a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Newcastle United, who have a game in hand, Forest are in a strong position.
And the biggest source of encouragement is the quality that put them in this position in the first place. Forest’s sense of unity, togetherness and team spirit has helped them to cope with — or even ignore — the growing expectation.
One of Nuno’s biggest successes has been helping his squad forge a tight bond. Over the last few years, work has been done to improve the environment at the training ground where, as well as investing heavily to upgrade the pitches, alterations have been made to the canteen, gym and dressing room so that players can enjoy spending time together.
Moreno has made 13 appearances for Forest in the Premier League (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Moreno skipping around and delivering a succession of fist pumps was just one example of this at Portman Road. The defender could be forgiven for feeling left out of late — instead, he remains at the heart of the group and is a respected and well-liked figure.
When Nikola Milenkovic put Forest in front with a driven finish, the delight among his team-mates was obvious. Every outfield player congratulated the Serbia centre-back and there was a similar vibe when Anthony Elanga scored the first of his two goals, as he joined up with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina for a celebratory dance.
After the players made their way down the tunnel after the game, Hudson-Odoi was gamely strumming away on a guitar given to the team by Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran.
The singer, who is an admirer of the Forest forward, is in the U.S. but had pre-arranged to have the guitar gifted to Hudson-Odoi in exchange for a match-worn shirt.
In the background as Hudson-Odoi played, you can see Elanga gazing at his team-mate with the same unwavering fondness as The Athletic looks at a lamb madras on a Saturday evening.
As Elanga attempted to conduct a post-match interview in the corridor outside, he was cheekily interrupted by Aina, who innocently protested that he was “just trying to listen in,” while happily giggling to himself. This is a small group of players who all get on.
Ed Sheeran gifted the Nottingham Forest players a guitar 🎸 after their win over Ipswich Town.
Callum Hudson-Odoi 🇬🇭 played Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” while Ola Aina 🇳🇬 was running commentary 😂😂#JoySports #IPSNFO pic.twitter.com/je9VXHR5aO
— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) March 15, 2025
“I would not know how to describe it, the vibe we have as a whole group, as a collective is crazy,” said Hudson-Odoi in an interview with the BBC before the Ipswich game. “The energy we bring every day for each other, high spirits, making sure that we are all dancing, playing music, just to get the vibe going. You can see that when we are on the pitch, there is just a great connection.”
There has been an unwavering consistency in the way that Nuno speaks in the media and with his players. It is not always ideal for journalists seeking a new line, but his focus never strays beyond the next training session or game.
“My career is tomorrow. This is my career. This is my life,” said Nuno in his pre-Ipswich press conference. “I finish now, speaking with you with all my pleasure and then I go back to work and I prepare the training session for tomorrow. This is my career. Nothing can change. Why change it?.”
Nuno insists that he does not linger too long over the league table and he does not allow himself to consider what might be possible for his team in the next few months. He encourages his players to enjoy the journey and promotes the idea that even those on the bench could have a significant part to play in their success.
It is a mentality that worked perfectly at Ipswich. If it can be maintained for another nine games, Moreno dancing will remain a familiar and very welcome sight.
(Top photo: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
