Nottingham Forest have confirmed the sacking of manager Steve Cooper, with former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo appointed to replace him.
Cooper’s exit comes with Forest having lost five of their past six games.
The 44-year-old led Forest to promotion to the Premier League in 2022, ending a 23-year absence from the top flight.
“His achievement in guiding Forest back will undoubtedly remain an iconic moment in the club’s history,” said owner Evangelos Marinakis.
“We thank Steve for his dedication and commitment during his time with us, as well as the incredible connection he forged with our supporters and the city of Nottingham.
“Steve will always remain a friend of the club and will forever be welcome at the City Ground. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Cooper, who continued to be a popular figure with the club’s fans, was told of the decision on Tuesday.
Forest, who are 17th in the Premier League, have won once in their past 13 top-flight games, taking eight points in that period.
They have picked up one point from their past six matches and are five points ahead of third-from-bottom Luton, who have a match in hand.
Cooper’s final game at the helm was a 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham last Friday.
He is the second Premier League manager to be sacked this season, after Sheffield United dismissed Paul Heckingbottom earlier this month.
Forest’s patience with Cooper runs out
Former England Under-17s boss Cooper was appointed when Forest were bottom of the Championship in September 2021, leading them to promotion in the same season and ensuring top-flight safety with a 16th-place finish.
The Welshman overhauled the squad after promotion with 19 players joining on permanent deals and three arriving on loan, while 17 left the club.
Cooper’s future at the City Ground came under the spotlight on several occasions last season as they struggled to find consistency and had to rely almost solely on home fixtures to pick up points – claiming 30 of their 38 when hosting.
In April, owner Marinakis released a statement backing Cooper in an attempt to end “false and disruptive reporting” about his future.
Forest were 18th with four games left to play but managed to pick up eight points across those matches to climb away from danger.
But the issue of performing on the road has persisted into 2023-24, with only five points collected from nine outings.
Cooper has been consistently backed by the Forest support, but Marinakis has become increasingly concerned at his club’s plight.
Forest play Bournemouth at the City Ground on Saturday before fixtures at Newcastle United on 26 December and at home to Manchester United on 30 December.
