European football seems attainable as one of England’s oldest clubs enjoys its moment ahead of Liverpool clash. In a gleaming barber’s shop in the shadow of Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, Feras Al-Youssef is snipping his client’s hair with lightning efficiency, the clippings flying like silver filings to the floor.
![[Alexandra Topping]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/05/02/Alexandra_Topping,_L.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
“We are going to win the league,” states the Aleppo-born adopted son of the city, lifting his eyes to a signed club shirt on the wall. Then he smiles. “Well, we hope – when this city is in a good mood, there is nothing like it.”. Endorphins have been throbbing around this part of the East Midlands in recent weeks with an intensity last felt during the heady days of 1979-80, when Forest won back-to-back European Cups under the stewardship of club hero Brian Clough.
![[Syrian-born barber and Nottingham Forest fan Feras Al-Youssef in his shop next to the City Ground.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2b8347d9066dd36b43bdbb86ecb4b8f718f6cfad/0_438_7464_4480/master/7464.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
After narrowly avoiding relegation and being docked points last season – and despite having less of the ball than any other team in the Premier League – Forest sit in third place in the Premier League, behind Arsenal only on goal difference. After an intoxicating run of six consecutive victories, they face the league leaders Liverpool on Tuesday. And while comparisons to Leicester’s fairytale season of 2015-16 may still seem far-fetched with half a season to play, under the Portuguese manager Nuno Espírito Santo, fans are getting giddy.
![[Nuno Espírito Santo holding up his thumbs on the pitch]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/a879041cb685f946c7c9b3f937796415f502ee2f/631_0_1812_1812/master/1812.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
“A couple of weeks ago I thought: ‘This is probably as good as it gets,’” says Matt Davies, the host of the Forest Focus podcast. “Then we kept winning and you wonder about Tuesday and think: ‘What if?’ It feels possible, which is crazy.”.
![[Greg Mitchell, right, and Matt Davies.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/307e89c95eb67d79dda8d98be0813e5ce4beac74/0_455_8192_4918/master/8192.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
