Gunners pose early threat to Ange's Forest reign

Ange Postecoglou will take charge at Nottingham Forest after leading Spurs to Europa League glory (Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has made a huge decision in sacking Nuno Espírito Santo and an equally bold call in choosing Ange Postecoglou as his successor.

Former Wolves and Tottenham manager Nuno was relieved of his duties when a club statement was released shortly after midnight on Monday . which confirmed he was no longer in charge at the City Ground.

Speculation had been swirling for some time Nuno had fallen out with his employer after becoming increasingly frustrated with the club’s new sporting director Edu and what he perceived to be slow activity in the transfer market.

It must be said a 3-0 home defeat to West Ham before the international break will not have helped matters while Forest missed out on Champions League football when they finished last term by taking just eight points from the final eight games.

They finished seventh in the Premier League but were promoted from the Conference League to the Europa League when Crystal Palace were found guilty of breaching dual ownership regulations .

Postecoglou has been handed the gig after guiding Tottenham to their first silverware in 17 years when they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao in May thanks to a goal from former Forest attacker Brennan Johnson.

Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked by Nottingham Forest despite leading them back into Europe (Picture: Getty Images)

That wasn’t enough to prevent Big Ange losing his job after Spurs could only finish 17th in last season’s Premier League, but it is generally accepted he was not fully backed in the transfer market by now-departed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, an accusation which can never be aimed at Marinakis, who spends cash freely on new arrivals.

Postecoglou will kick-off his reign with Saturday’s trip to old rivals Arsenal, which will be a tough baptism of fire with the Gunners 21/20 to lead HT/FT and the same price with BetMGM to win by over 1.5 goals.

Forest are 7/4 with the same firm to shrug off their managerial upheaval by finishing in the top half of the table but 17/2 with Paddy Power, Sky Bet and others looks a stretch at this stage, as does the 12/1 with the same bookmakers for them to win the Europa League.

With Nuno gone at Forest both Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim and West Ham opposite number Graham Potter could be looking over their shoulders.

Both managers enjoyed their first wins of the season heading into the international break but they are 9/4 joint favourites with BetVictor to be the next Premier League boss to leave his post.

Rory McIlroy is in terrific form after winning the Irish Open in County Kildare, his fourth tournament success of the year following triumphs at Pebble Beach, the Players Championship and the Masters .