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      Thomas Tuchel strikes agreement with FA that sees new England boss working from GERMANY and missing huge games

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      NEW England boss Thomas Tuchel has struck a deal with the FA to be based in Germany. The 51-year-old German penned an 18-month contract last October to replace Gareth Southgate.Thomas Tuchel is preparing for his first game as England boss next monthCredit: EPAThe Three Lions head coach has been spotted at games around the country in recent weeksCredit: GettyIt has been revealed Tuchel is being given special permission to return regularly to GermanyCredit: GettyTuchel officially began his new £5million-a-year role as Three Lions chief on January 1. He has since been seen at Premier League grounds around the country ahead of his first squad announcement next month.But according to The Times, Tuchel has already missed three rounds of top-flight fixtures and cup matches.The FA have agreed Tuchel can make regular trips back to Germany to see his family.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHe has two children with ex-wife Sissi, who he divorced in 2022. The ex-Chelsea boss attended his first Premier League game on January 4, watching Tottenham take on Newcastle. He has since watched 16 more matches at home and abroad, including Champions League games in France, Spain and Italy.But he has also missed the entire FA Cup third-round weekend and three entire Premier League gameweeks. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAsked by talkSPORT how often he would be at the FA’s base at St George’s Park, Tuchel said: “Very regularly, this our home, this is our base.”I will be there otherwise we cannot create the atmosphere that is needed for the 18 months we have together. England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to Three Lions’ World Cup 2026 qualifying draw”I’m happy to be there. We have an excellent infrastructure.”Tuchel is preparing for his first game in charge on March 21.The Three Lions host Albania at Wembley in the first of their World Cup 2026 qualifiers. England will then take on Latvia three days later, again at the Home of Football. World Cup qualifying draw in fullGroup A: Winner GER/ITA, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, LuxembourgGroup B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, KosovoGroup C: Loser POR/DEN, Greece, Scotland, BelarusGroup D: Winner FRA/CRO, Ukraine, Iceland, AzerbaijanGroup E: Winner SPA/NED, Turkey, Georgia, BulgariaGroup F: Winner POR/DEN, Hungary, Ireland, ArmeniaGroup G: Loser SPA/NED, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, MaltaGroup H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San MarinoGroup I: Loser GER/ITA, Norway, Israel, Estonia, MoldovaGroup J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, LiechensteinGroup K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, AndorraGroup L: Loser FRA/CRO, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, GibraltarTuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.After taking the job in October, he said: “I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team.READ MORE SUN STORIES”I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already.”To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.” More

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      Premier League boss facing FA punishment after claiming ‘smaller’ clubs are being targeted by referees

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      IPSWICH manager Kieran McKenna faces an FA rap after claiming “smaller” Premier League clubs are targeted by referees.McKenna was furious at the first of two yellow cards ref Rob Jones gave defender Axel Tuanzebe in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.Kieran McKenna slated what he reckons was a harsh initial bookingCredit: PAAxel Tuanzebe earned a yellow card McKenna reckons was never a foulCredit: RexTuanzebe then saw red for this challenge on Jacob RamseyCredit: GettyHe blasted: “I didn’t think it was a foul. Even if it was a foul, I think it was a decision given against a smaller team against a bigger team away from home.”It (the yellow card) was out of the pocket before the ball even stopped rolling. “I thought that was a really poor yellow. The second one, there’s not too many complaints.”FA bosses want to clamp down on criticism of refs.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd ex-Prem whistler Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports: “As a referee, you are so focused on what you have to do.“You do not have time to think, ‘This club is bigger than this club’. It would not cross your mind.”Tuanzebe saw red as early in just the 40th minute for his second booking.The defender brought down Jacob Ramsey on the edge of the area.Most read in SportDefender Tuanzebe was gutted to see red at Villa ParkCredit: AlamyLiam Delap then stunned Villa by turning home Omari Hutchinson’s cross 11 minutes into the second period.But with the home fans growing in frustration, Unai Emery’s men finally nicked a point midway through the period.BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSLoanee striker Marcus Rashford, who came on at the break, hit the bar with a free-kick and Ollie Watkins gobbled up the rebound.The point lifted Ipswich to third bottom – above Leicester.Liam Delap talks about joining Ipswich Town But victory would have put them level on points with Wolves. McKenna said: “A really good solid first 40 minutes, pretty much Even Stevens, then down to 10 men.”And of Tuanzebe’s initial booking, he added: “Anyone can make a mistake but I think it’s more how quickly the yellow came out. “Even if it was a foul, so many times this season I’ve not seen a yellow on the first foul at all. And I don’t think it was a foul. I think he got the ball.”If you’re booking a full-back for something like that away from home, you have to be right on the first foul, because you know it’s going to be a real hard game from then on.” More

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      The ‘middle-ground’ that could save VAR, as FA Cup proved football can do just fine without it

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      FOOTBALL life without VAR is bearable.More than that – by all the evidence from the FA Cup so far, it is a reasonable proposition.VAR continues to cause controversy week after week in the Premier LeagueCredit: AlamyNewcastle’s FA Cup win at League One Birmingham showed we don’t need total VARCredit: GettyOne incident in particular provides support for this view. It occurred when Birmingham goalkeeper Bailey Peacock- Farrell beat away a shot from Newcastle’s Joe Willock on or beyond the goal-line.Blues supporters thought the man with the fanciest name in football had just kept out the shot until the linesman flagged and referee Matt Donohue waved play to the centre spot.Willock had equalised and his side went on to win the fourth-round tie 3-2.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLWith no goal-line technology in play because the match was held at a League One ground, imagine VAR trying to pick that apart.Referee Donahue would have asked for a ruling on a very tight decision. Cue a delay while set-squares and microscopes were (imaginatively) brought into play and a verdict finally reached.Not exactly the magic of technology.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSI prefer the speed of the ref’s reaction, his assistant’s verdict here was swift and almost certainly correct. No VAR no cry. What a shame that we’ll now see VAR used for the rest of the competition.Moment Nottingham Forest fans ‘try to bribe Anthony Taylor’ during VAR check as hilarious footage goes viralIt used to be carry-on regardless in the Premier League, too, but in the endless squabble between perfectionists and realists, the seekers of absolute truth won.It may be less than an invention to suggest a referee be able to press a button and an AI verdict will come back instantly with an answer.Until that slightly worrying day, let us be pleased that necessity led the FA for a while to abide by the whistle and leave VAR to gather dust.People fortunate enough to support a Premier League club are less lucky and have total VAR complete with constant interruptions. EFL have it in play-off finals and promise it elsewhere very soon.There are, it is true, several plusses to technology, such as quick and correct answers on whether a goal-line has been crossed.MARK HALSEY: Questions have to be asked of VAR after Lewis-Skelly sending off… here’s what SHOULD have happenedBy Mark HalseyVAR Darren England should have recommended a review as soon as referee Michael Oliver showed Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly a straight red card for his challenge on Wolves’ Matt Doherty.An official has to decide whether the challenge was careless or reckless — careless is a free-kick only, reckless is a yellow card — or worthy of a red card.When a player lunges at an opponent with one or two feet from the front, the side or from the back which endangers the player’s safety with excess force or/and brutality, it must be sanctioned with a red.I saw it as a reckless challenge worthy of a yellow, not a red.So why did Darren not recommend a review? Once the red card was shown, the VAR should have intervened.If Michael had the opportunity to view the challenge again, I’m sure he would have changed his mind, cancelled the red card and issued a yellow.As for Arsenal fans’ views that Michael is biased against them, I’m not buying into that. You can never question the integrity of a match official and Michael is one of our best referees.Officials cannot get everything right and that is why we have VAR to help. So questions have to be asked of Darren.With the second yellow for Joao Gomes after catching Jurrien Timber on the ankle, you could argue that was a worse challenge than the Lewis-Skelly one.The major success of VAR, however, is the speed and precision of offside verdicts.Linesmen are good judges but inevitably do not always find it possible to decide on the basis of the length of a foot or elbow. On VAR it is a doddle and quick.Not so with free-kicks or yellow or red cards. These decisions are sometimes a good deal longer and often dubious.VAR itself does not make corrections, it is a helpmate for refs to make theirs.The methodology is sound but perfection is no easier to find than the holy grail. Never-before-seen moment in English football as referee speaks to crowd to confirm why Spurs goal ruled out vs LiverpoolStill, because VAR gives referees a second look, it soon became the Japanese knotweed of our game – once present, nothing short of a bomb will stop it.Various methods are being tried to speed up the process and waiting times have been cut to average 64 seconds. Yet the solution is easy to see. Bin total VAR. Trust the ref.Football was successful for well over a century before VAR. Referees in those days might have protested at being held responsible for United or City losing but the truth is they still are.They are the focus of the blame game and although do-gooders thought VAR would rectify all errors and cut down offensive and obscene shouting among fans, it hasn’t.READ MORE SUN STORIESOverall, I would compromise. Tech works on line decisions but is very slow and almost as faulty for fouls given by refs who take only a fraction of the time.And it’s easier to forgive a wrong decision made by genuine human error, than one made by a machine. More

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      Ancelotti has been sacked more than Mourinho but never loses his cool unlike rivals… he’s the greatest of them all

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      HOW can somebody so good have been sacked so often?Ice-cool Carlo Ancelotti has ­suffered a manager’s ultimate fate more times than fireball Jose Mourinho.Carlo Ancelotti is one of the greatest managers of all timeCredit: ReutersThe Italian has been sacked more than any other managerCredit: AFPBut ice-cool Ancelotti always keeps his coolCredit: RexHe has won trophies all across his glittering careerCredit: GettyThe Italian leads six to five, give or take the odd ‘mutual consent’ — which of course can mean whatever you want it to.Yet there is not a silver-fox hair out of place, the dashing blue ­overcoat fits like a glove and even at 65, he puts many of his younger peers to shame with his elegance and eloquence.That was on crystal clear display as Real Madrid dismantled Manchester City’s Champions League aspirations on their own turf three days ago.Coming from behind to beat the pride of English football with a last-gasp winner against the team Ancelotti describes as his own ‘great rivals’ — yet not even a twitch in the pulse rate in the Spanish technical area.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThat unique characteristic among coaches sets Ancelotti apart. No head scratching, no bottle kicking, no digital a**e probing. Precious few examples of super calm Carlo losing the plot with the officials or opponents.Which when you consider he has also managed Europe’s titans in Chelsea, Juventus, AC Milan and Bayern Munich, to stay in control takes some doing.Ancelotti has shared rooms with shadowy Russian oligarchs, endured penalty shootouts in Champions League finals and managed Everton — it’s debatable which is most scary.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSYet while Pep Guardiola flicks phlegm through pursed lips by way of a nervous tick, spindly Thomas Tuchel leaps and gestures and Joachim Low reaches for his backside in stressful moments, Ancelotti is having none of it.And for that alone he should be considered the greatest of them all.Five Champions League titles does help. EXCLUSIVE: How ‘lovely’ Carlo Ancelotti stunned Chelsea TV worker with humble act after taking over at the BluesBut to reach such heights and still not break sweat dealing with the egos and the snipes at such  a high level in the game is the ultimate accolade.As he assembles the latest troupe of Galacticos at the Bernabeu with the expected summer addition of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold,  that trait stands him in good stead.The nice guy nature has been his undoing but Ancelotti has learned from that. He managed Chelsea on a peer-to-peer level, treating his players as equals, hoping they would do the same.Some took advantage of that in his second season at Stamford Bridge. That contributed to him being sacked in the away dressing room at Everton in May 2011 — having won the Double the previous season.Yet despite the relentless pressure of working for ruthless Roman Abramovich, Ancelotti did not desert his humanity and never will.After trips back home to Italy, he would return bearing salamis made by a friend for one staff member’s son who was obsessed with Peperami sticks at the time.He fought hard behind the scenes for staff members who struggled to cope with life. And the guard never drops.Carlo Ancelotti managerial honoursJuventus – UEFA Intertoto CupAC Milan – Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Champions League x2, UEFA Super Cup x2, Club World CupChelsea – Premier League, FA Cup, Community ShieldPSG – Ligue 1Real Madrid – LaLiga x2, Copa del Rey x2, Supercopa de Espana x2, Champions League x3, UEFA Super Cup x3, Club World Cup x2, Intercontinnental Cup Bayern Munich – Bundesliga, DFL-SupercupDuring his short and surprising stint in charge of a troubled Everton team at the height of Covid, he secured an injury-time 5-4 win over Tottenham in the FA Cup fifth round. As the 97th-minute goal crashes in, Ancelotti stops to blow steam from the top of his piping hot cup of tea, then takes a sip while his coaching staff lose it around him.Everton fans with half a brain have accepted him walking out to rejoin Real Madrid where he is now furthering his already stellar reputation.Those with a fully functioning noddle are still shocked why he chose their underperforming, underwhelming club in the first place.When you deal at the top table you need to keep your cards close to your chest.And Ancelotti is smart enough to know never to say anything in a press conference that could be considered genuinely interesting.The arch-diplomat, he plays the game straight, takes his severance money and doesn’t burn bridges.Ancelotti’s only complaint about life in England was the poor standard of coffee. And he has a point. The washed-out Espresso being his main bone of contention.And it’s probably why he won’t ever come back to manage here again. Shame.Don’t sit ‘n take itTottenham fans need to rethink their protest strategyCredit: RexTOTTENHAM fans plotting a protest against club chairman Daniel Levy on Sunday should rethink their strategy.Planning a sit-in demo after the home game against Manchester United is the wrong way to go about things in this time of turmoil.With the team playing so badly and the whole matchday experience being one big letdown, why prolong the agony?Surely a walkout as soon as possible after kick-off would be far more appealing?That way the aggrieved supporters make their point and get to p*** off home early and do something far more enjoyable instead.It means sweet FAArne Slot didn’t care much for the FA Cup in realityCredit: PAAPPARENTLY Arne Slot will be kicking himself at Liverpool’s embarrassing exit from the FA Cup at the hands of second-tier Plymouth Argyle.Uh-huh.Sadly, with a Premier League title to chase down, genuine aspirations of winning the Champions League and a place in next month’s Carabao Cup Final in the bag, something has to give.Unfortunately, in this case, it’s our national cup competition.As exciting and unpredictable as the FA Cup is, I imagine it was fourth in line on Slot’s list of ­priorities — and he has probably forgotten where Plymouth is already.Vini kicks City in tifoVinicius Jr got his own back at Man City after their tifo displayCredit: GettyIT’S SAFE to assume that Manchester City gave the nod to the most tactless tifo in football with the giant banner poking fun at Vinicius  Jr and Real Madrid.In which case it’s going to be fun waiting to see whether the Spaniards hit back on Wednesday when they stage the second leg of their Champions League last-16 play-off.The poster featuring the Etihad midfielder Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or trophy along with the caption ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ was successful only in winding up ungracious loser Vinicius Jr.Would love to know where it is now?PITY the poor sods who are working in the Manchester United public relations department.READ MORE SUN STORIESOn the very day Red Devils legend Denis Law was laid to rest on Tuesday, hard-pressed staff in the communications team were dealing with questions that between 100 and 200 club workers are to be axed in the latest round of redundancies.Not easy that.Man Utd PR has been nothing short of disastrous recentlyCredit: PA More

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      FA Cup TV games CONFIRMED with Plymouth fans facing nightmare journey home from Man City clash

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      PLYMOUTH ARGYLE fans face a nightmare journey home from Manchester after the next round of FA Cup TV games were confirmed.The remaining eight fixtures are set to take place on the first weekend of March.TV games for the next round of the FA Cup have been revealedCredit: ReutersAnd the FA Cup fifth round games have now been divvied up between national broadcasters ITV and the BBC.But Argyle fans will be feeling hard done by after their trip to Manchester City, a reward for KO’ing Liverpool, was given a 5.45pm kick-off time by ITV4 on Saturday March 1.The journey up from the south west alone will take nearly six hours.And supporters face being stranded in Manchester overnight, with the final train back to Plymouth leaving at 6.25pm — 40 minutes after kick-off.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe train doesn’t even get back to Devon until nearly midnight.And it means any fan who wants to catch it will likely be unlikely to see more than a few minutes of the game, given the 1.4 mile distance between the Etihad and Manchester Piccadilly station.Man City vs Plymouth is just one of FOUR matches taking place on Saturday March 1.Crystal Palace vs Millwall kicks off at 12.15pm on BBC One.Most read in FA CupJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSWhile Preston vs Burnley starts at the same time on BBC iPlayer.Bournemouth vs Wolves is also taking place at 3pm.Alex Scott given a fright by BBC presenter’s comment after picking last ball of FA Cup draw But it is the one game of the weekend that will NOT be on TV, and has instead been selected as the featured broadcast for BBC Radio 5 Live.The day before, Friday February 28, sees Aston Villa host Cardiff at 8pm on ITV1.Sunday March 2 then boasts Newcastle vs Brighton, which kicks off at 1.45pm on ITV1.That game is later followed by Man United vs Fulham at 4.30pm on BBC One.And the last match of the round features Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich on Monday March 3, which kicks off at 7.30pm on ITV4.FA Cup fifth round fixtures in fullFRIDAY 28 FEBRUARYAston Villa v. Cardiff City at 20:00 GMT on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV PlayerSATURDAY 1 MARCHCrystal Palace v. Millwall at 12:15 GMT on BBC One and BBC iPlayerPreston North End v. Burnley at 12:15 GMT on BBC iPlayerAFC Bournemouth v. Wolverhampton Wanderers at 15:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 LiveManchester City v. Plymouth Argyle at 17:45 GMT on ITV4 and ITVXSUNDAY 2 MARCHNewcastle United v. Brighton & Hove Albion at 13:45 GMT on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV PlayerManchester United v. Fulham at 16:30 GMT on BBC One and BBC iPlayerMONDAY 3 MARCHNottingham Forest v. Ipswich Town at 19:30 GMT on ITV4 and ITVX More

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      Ronnie Boyce dead aged 82: West Ham lead tributes to cup-winning hero who played with Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst

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      WEST HAM legend Ronnie Boyce has sadly passed away aged 82.The icon scored the winner in the FA Cup final in 1964 and then helped them win the European Cup Winners’ Cup a year later.West Ham icon Ronnie Boyce has sadly diedCredit: PA:Empics SportBoyce [front centre] won two cups with the Irons as a playerCredit: PABoyce was also a member of the coaching staff when the Hammers lifted the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980 – before taking charge of one game as caretaker manager in 1990.His family penned a touching tribute, which read: “We are so very sad to confirm that our beloved husband, father and grandfather Ronnie passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon.“He fought illness in recent years with typical courage, bravery and no fuss, and with such strength. “His nickname of ‘Ticker’, as the strong heartbeat of West Ham’s team in the 1960s, could not have been more appropriate.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“He was a Hammer all of his life, from growing up in East Ham to representing the Club as a player and coach across 34 years of dedicated service, and always had time for the fans and people who gave him so much support throughout his time in football.“He never boasted about his wonderful playing career or achievements.”But he was so proud of the fact that he scored the winning goal in West Ham United’s first-ever FA Cup victory, and his love of the Club and the supporters meant so much to him.“As a family, we were even prouder of the love, support and dedication he gave us all, and of the quiet, honest, decent man that he was. We will miss him greatly and he will never be forgotten.”Most read in FootballThe Hammers added: “The thoughts and condolences of everyone at West Ham United are with Ronnie’s wife Dawn, his sons Gary and Tony, daughter-in-laws Ewa and Sarah, grandsons Ross, Ben, Jack, Elliott and Tom, and all of his family and friends at this sad and difficult time.”Further tributes to Ronnie will appear across Club channels in the coming days and at London Stadium on Saturday ahead of our Premier League fixture against Brentford.”Devastated fans wrote online: “RIP. A genuine West Ham legend.”Another commented: “Sleep tight, Ticker. A fine footballer and a wonderful gentleman.”Boyce played alongside World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters at Upton Park.He was handed a lifetime achievement award by West Ham in 2019. More

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      Major change to VAR to be introduced for FA Cup fifth round despite concerns about accuracy

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      THE FA CUP fifth round is set to be the testing ground of semi-automated offside technology.The technology, also known as SAOT, is set to be introduced into the fifth round of England’s premier cup competition with a view to a wider introduction to English football later on.Semi-automated offside technology was successfully used at the 2022 World CupCredit: FIFAIt is now set to undergo a live trial during the FA Cup fifth roundCredit: AFPSAOT was successfully used at the 2022 World Cup and was set to be brought to the Premier League in autumn after clubs unanimously voted to bring it in last April.However, officials were not satisfied with its accuracy when testing in stadiums, leading to it being delayed and prompting frustration.According to The Guardian, the technology is now set to be trialled in the FA Cup fifth round.The report says the system has been refined and its effectiveness improved considerably in the past month.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLPGMOL chief Howard Webb and the Premier League’s chief football officer, Tony Scholes, have both now given their approval.Seven of the eight ties in the fifth round are being played at Premier League grounds, with the exception of Championship side Preston, making it ideal for an extended live-testing stage.Top-flight clubs will be officially informed about the trial by the Premier League at its shareholders’ meeting in London today.SAOT and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) have not been used in any of the previous rounds of the competition to ensure a “consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition”.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis led to several controversial decisions, including Harry Maguire’s last-gasp winner for Manchester United against Leicester in the fourth round which would have been ruled offside with the help of technology.It is hoped the tech will reduce the waiting time for offside decisions to be made if VAR is introduced by more than 30 seconds.VAR ruined Coventry’s iconic FA Cup moment with offside decision in semi-final – but was technically CORRECTCamera footage and special tracking software are used to calculate the position of players at the moment of a potential offside, removing the need for VAR teams to manually add lines to still images.During Everton’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the last-ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, James Tarkowski’s last-gasp equaliser took four minutes before it came to a decision. Scholes had previously admitted to being sceptical until seeing recent improvements. He said: “I have to confess, given the difficulties that we had over the first few months of the season [with SAOT testing] I had severe doubts.”But the progress made over the last four to six weeks has been significant. “We believe we’re going to be adopting the best system and the most accurate system.”FA Cup fifth round draw in fullHere are all the games from the next round in the FA Cup…Preston North End vs BurnleyAston Villa vs Cardiff CityDoncaster/Crystal Palace vs MillwallManchester United vs FulhamNewcastle vs Brighton and Hove AlbionBournemouth vs Wolverhampton WanderersManchester City vs PlymouthExeter City/Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town More

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      Nottingham Forest announce Taiwo Awoniyi suffered concussion and broken nose in injury that saw match delayed 11 minutes

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      NOTTINGHAM FOREST manager Nuno Espirito Santo announced Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a concussion and a broken nose after a bloody clash against Exeter City.Awoniyi, 27, started for Forest in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Exeter at St James Park and scored a goal during a dramatic 2-2 draw that led to a tense penalty shootout won by the visitors.Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo lifted the lid on Taiwo Awoniyi’s injuryCredit: RexNuno confirmed Forest star Awoniyi suffered a concussion and broken noseCredit: RexForest manager Nuno said Awoniyi was in ‘a lot of pain’Credit: GettyBut Nuno insists Awoniyi quickly regained his smileCredit: AlamyThe striker made it 2-1 after team-mate Ramon Sosa cancelled out Josh Magennis’ opener but couldn’t finish the match after a horror collision with the Grecians’ goalkeeper Joe Whitworth’s elbow.The Nigeria international fell to the ground and required almost 11 minutes of treatment before being taken off the pitch on a stretcher in the 13th minute of stoppage time, just before the final whistle.Nuno, 51, shared the full extent of the centre-forward’s injury stating he was in “a lot of pain”.However, the Portguese tactician confirmed Awoniyi quickly regained his smile.Read More on FootballNuno said: “He had a concussion and I think he broke his nose, so a lot of pain.”But he has a smile on his face, that [is] because he did an amazing job. We are delighted with him.”Forest endured a stressful night in Exeter as Magennis completed a brace after Awoniyi’s goal, which led to a penalty shootout.The Tricky Trees won 4-2 after netting all of their spot-kicks but Nuno was criticised for his heavy rotation, which included 10 changes.Most read in FA CupHowever, the ex-Tottenham boss insists that was a necessity and hinted he will do the same in the fifth round against Ipswich Town.This comes amid Nottingham’s stunning season that has seen them challenging for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.Taiwo Awoniyi left with blood pouring from his face after horror clash with Exeter ace in Forest’s FA Cup frustrationNuno added: “It’s not about resting [players], it’s about how we are approaching the competition. “We did the same at Luton, and we’re going to probably do the same [again] because, unfortunately, we cannot give minutes to all the players. “So this is a reward for all the players that worked so hard, the young boys. It’s good for us. It’s not resting players. It’s taking care of all the squad.”The FA Cup is very hard, and just look at the draws that came. A lot of surprises will happen. “We just have to do our job. It’s going to be at the City Ground [the match with Ipswich], and we’re going to be ready.” More