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Steve Cooper 'retains full backing of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis'

Cooper 'retains full backing of Forest owner Marinakis'
© Reuters
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is still committed to backing manager Steve Cooper, but insists that results must improve, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has reportedly received a vote of confidence from owner Evangelos Marinakis, but has been warned about the team's form.

Forest are currently on a run of just one win from nine games in the Premier League, and face relegation rivals Everton at the City Ground next on Saturday.

The pressure has risen on Cooper following a 3-2 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, where Forest struggled to create chances despite playing against 10 men for the final 20 minutes plus 10 minutes of added time.

Marinakis has spent heavily to try to meet his target of making Forest a top-10 Premier League team, but they are lagging behind that objective currently.

The club find themselves down in 15th, but they are eight points clear of the drop zone, aided heavily by Everton's 10-point deduction.

The Telegraph claims that the Greek billionaire still has absolute faith in Cooper, but has made it clear results must improve.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis pictured in February 2019© Reuters

Upwards of £100m was spent over the summer, including breaking the club's transfer record to bring in Ibrahim Sangare from PSV Eindhoven, but Forest remain lingering near the relegation places.

The sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham Hotspur for £47.5m was not ideal towards the end of the window though, now combined with the fact that Taiwo Awoniyi will now miss up to four months following groin surgery.

Given that Forest's next three games all appear winnable - versus Everton, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers - they are allegedly reluctant to make any changes during such a potentially pivotal period, heading towards the festive period.

Marinakis's faith in Cooper paid off last season, as the Welshman overcame serious doubts about his future to lead Forest to survival, after bringing the side back into the Premier League following two decades away.

Reports suggest that the owner will provide more financial backing in the January window, especially now given Awoniyi's long-term injury.

Pressure on Cooper has also coincided with claims that Crystal Palace have shortlisted him as a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson, along with Cooper, are among two of the favourites to be the first manager to leave their post in the Premier League this season, but that has reportedly not deterred Palace from eyeing up the Forest boss.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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