Simon Jordan identifies key Sheffield United moment as Nottingham Forest get 'slice of luck'

Simon Jordan says Nottingham Forest were 'out-played and out-thought' by Sheffield United last night and the visitors can consider themselves 'very unlucky' not to be in the play-off final at Wembley. The former Crystal Palace owner is now part of TalkSport alongside Jim White and he believes Forest were 'battered' by Paul Heckingbottom's men.

However, he pinpointed Oliver Norwood's opening penalty in the shoot-out as a key turning point that went Forest's way. United won the match 2-1 on the night after second half goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and John Fleck levelled the scores at 3-3 on aggregate.

However, the home side won through on penalties after Brice Samba saved the opening two spot-kicks from Norwood and Conor Hourihane and then the fifth from Gibbs-White.

Speaking on this morning's show, he said: "I would have imagined there would have been some people ready to eat their words last night when Sheffield United battered Nottingham Forest. United can think themselves incredibly unlucky.

"If it wasn't for a very fortuitous save in the 118th-minute they would have won. Samba made himself big so fair to play him.

"If it wasn't the stupid naivety from Oliver Norwood, taking a penalty whilst waiting on the penalty spot for two minutes and probably decompressing himself to a point of almost paralysis and setting the tone for the penalties then it could have been a different discussion.

"Steve Cooper has done a phenomenal job. In the context of what I said nine months ago, this was a man who had taken a team to the play-offs two times in a row, it was a reasonable observation. Watching the game last night I thought Forest were choking. They were battered by Sheffield United. How Sheffield United didn't win that game