19 March 2022

Jack Colback promises Nottingham Forest are ready to take the fight to Liverpool

19 March 2022

Nottingham Forest will take the fight to Liverpool in their FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, according to midfielder Jack Colback.

Steve Cooper’s side have already knocked out Arsenal and holders Leicester, earning widespread praise for their performances, particularly in the 4-1 demolition of the Foxes.

Jurgen Klopp’s side represent their biggest challenge yet but Colback insists Forest will not be put off their attacking style.

“There’s kind of a no fear attitude and the lads are full of confidence and can’t really wait to get into it,” he said.

“We know how tough it’s going to be, one of the best teams in the world, they’ve got world-class players in pretty much every position.

“But these are the moments why you’re in football and you can create something really special. We’ll be having a go, we won’t be sitting back, we’ll be going after them and we’ll see what happens.

“No disrespect to Arsenal and Leicester but Liverpool at this stage are a different beast. Everyone’s going to have to be on it 100 per cent.

“We might need a bit of luck along the way but we’ll be confident and we’ll be ready. We’ll have everything we need to give us the best possible chance of winning.”

Forest are featuring at this stage of the FA Cup for the first time since 1996, while it is more than two decades since they were in the Premier League.

But they sit only one point outside the Championship play-off places and there is a mood of positivity around the City Ground that has not been seen for a long time.

“Wins bring belief,” said Colback, who previously faced Liverpool for both Sunderland and Newcastle.

“It’s similar to when you’re losing games, you can fall into that rut, and obviously when you’re winning games it’s about keeping that momentum and keeping going.

“I think that’s why the manager has always put out strong teams in the cup, he wanted to instil a winning mentality at the football club, which he’s doing at the moment. It’s going to be tough but we’ll be full of confidence.

“For us, in terms of where we want to get to, we’ve still not done anything yet, so the manager’s keen to keep everyone focused on the fact that, yes we’ve been doing well so far, but you need that relentless mindset to keep going and keep going.”

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox