Aitor Karanka warned the Championship that there is still more to come from Nottingham Forest and urged his players to keep working hard following their 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
Lewis Grabban’s 10th goal in his last 11 appearances was enough to secure three points for the Reds and knock the Blades off the summit.
Karanka was delighted with Forest’s performance but told his players after the final whistle that they are still capable of more after going toe-to-toe with some of the division’s big-hitters in recent weeks.
Forest followed up a recent win at Middlesbrough and a draw that could easily have been three points at Leeds, by edging out Chris Wilder’s side.
And Karanka said: “It was a very big win and I’m really pleased for the players because I told them after the game that this team has not yet reached their peak.
“We are growing and improving a lot. The big picture is that we beat the top-of-the-table team and the team with the best form in the league.
“But we cannot forget that they have been working together for three years, with the same manager, working together to improve every day.
“We have been working together for three or four months after bringing 16 or more players in. We were much better than them and that is the way we must keep going now.
“I am really pleased for the players because they have been working hard.”
Karanka also urged Forest not to forget some of their slip-ups this season.
“We have to remember everything. We can remember the games against the top-of-the-table teams, but we also have to remember the performances against Norwich and Burton,” he said.
“We have to be positive; we have to think about the future, because we have a lot of positive things to come.”
The key moment of the game was Grabban’s header, which came following a superb cross from Joao Carvalho.
“It was a clever goal. Lewis was there just to touch the ball,” said Karanka. “It is important when you have commitment and quality players – that can make things easier.
“Costel (Pantilimon) did not have many saves to make. I don’t want to say that it was an easy game, but I do not remember him having to make one save.
“They had some set-pieces, but even from them we defended well. When everyone is committed on the pitch, it is good.”
Wilder admitted his side had not been at their best and revealed his message to his players was that they must learn to get more from closely-contested games like this.
“We haven’t played well and we haven’t got anything from the game and that is something we need to address,” he said. “The same thing has happened four or five times to us now.
“I have just said to the players that, when we play well, we expect to win.
“There will be times when you don’t play well and the opposition are miles better than you and you don’t get anything from the game – you hold your hands up when that happens.
“But in between there are games that are tight, when you are not as good as you would like to be, but you still have to come away with something.
“This was one of those games where we haven’t come away with anything from a tight game.
“Our control of the game wasn’t as good as it usually is. Our keeper hasn’t had much to do, but neither has their keeper. It was a low-quality game when you look at the good players who were on show.
“But Forest have got a result out of it and we haven’t and that is what is most disappointing for us.”
