Why USMNT star Matt Turner is hoping to avoid a Premier League syndrome that he has never heard of at Nottingham Forest

The United States international goalkeeper has been in the English top-flight since linking up with Arsenal in the summer of 2022. He lasted just 12 months in north London before completing a £10 million ($12m) transfer to Forest. Turner has quickly made the No.1 spot his own at the City Ground, with regular game time now being enjoyed having struggled for minutes at Emirates Stadium.

Turner is enjoying his spell in Nottingham and has told Premier League Productions when asked about early season form in 2023-24 that suggests Forest can avoid a case of second-season syndrome - having successfully steered clear of relegation last term: “I’ve never really heard of that, but I think for us – a lot of new faces but the same manager, and he’s done a really great job of integrating everybody together. The messages are clear within our locker room, within our camp, about what we want to be able to achieve this season. We’ve had some really great tests of our character already this season with some tough away trips and we’re looking forward to continuing and building after the international break.”

Forest have taken nine points from eight games, allowing them to sit five clear of the drop zone. Turner added on whether that “cushion” is allowing collective focus to look up, rather than down: “I don’t think we look at it as a cushion or confidence, given the performances it’s probably fair. We’ll still be feeling a little bit of ‘what if’, could we be a little bit higher, and I think that’s a really positive sign when you’re not feeling that complacency of ‘yeah, we’re good, we’re safe’. We’re really feeling that we can achieve more and do better and get better results.”

Turner has now linked up with the United States squad ahead of their international friendly dates with Germany and Ghana. Forest will be back in Premier League action when playing host to Luton on October 21.