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Nottingham Forest won their first Premier League game under Vitor Pereira at Tottenham Hotspur

Vitor Pereira has ‘steadied’ the ship at Nottingham Forest after guiding the Reds to two important wins in three days.

Having steered his side past FC Midtjylland on Thursday night, Forest went to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday and hammered their relegation rivals 3-0.

They are now in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and two places and three points above the bottom three and while Simon Jordan thinks they could yet have a ‘spectacular’ end to their season, what is clear in his mind is that Pereira has brought a stability to the City Ground.

“The win in the Europa League was a very commendable win, given the fact that they'd played them earlier on in the season and lost to them, you've got to look at that and say that's a good result. It wasn't expected for Forest to go through in that tie,” Jordan told talkSPORT.

“More compellingly for them beyond all of that is the fact that they've gone to Spurs and beat [sic] Spurs in a game that most people would have felt that Spurs might have been on the road to recovery, they might have found some degree of momentum going forward after the Liverpool game, after the Atletico Madrid game.

“I thought Forest looked very composed and very assured and started the game very brightly. Spurs were in the game, I thought they were very unlucky to be 1-0 down at halftime – some of the defending from Spurs is just appalling... Spurs are right in amongst it now.

“So going to Forest's question, Pereira's come in. He did the same job at Wolves 18 months ago, steadied them, settled them down. They've still got a long way to go. The interesting thing for me is watching the teams around them.

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“I still think for whatever reason it might be just blind belief in the Tottenham Hotspur image, that it'll still be the bottom three [now] that's in the bottom three [at the end of the season] – or possibly Leeds will get dragged into it because I think Leeds are drawing their way to safety.

“This remarkable run of games that Leeds are playing in where they're not getting beat, but they're still only two or three points away from the relegation zone and somewhere along the line, somebody's going to catch up with them, I fear.

“I hope not. I don't want any of the teams to get relegated, but from Forest's point of view, I thought they did really, really well in that game, and that's a credit to the manager.”

The Reds beat Spurs 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a six-pointer on Sunday thanks to goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi

Nottingham Forest are being backed to stay in the Premier League after their huge victory over Tottenham.

The Reds beat Spurs 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a six-pointer on Sunday thanks to goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi.

The three points lifted Vitor Pereira’s side above Tottenham and into 16th place in the table, three points above the relegation zone.

It was Forest’s first league win in five matches under Pereira - and also the Portuguese’s first Premier League victory of the season after 15 attempts, having been in charge of Wolves for 10 matches at the start of the campaign before departing Molineux.

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Asked if Pereira’s record this season means there should still be caution over Forest’s chances of avoiding relegation, pundit Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day: “I think that’s (Pereira’s record) a bit misguided because of the Wolves scenario.

“If you look at Forest’s performance at Manchester City, for example - really good, collective spirit.

“They’ve been showing some real improvements in the last couple of weeks and I’ve got a feeling that (win against Tottenham) will kick them on.

“I think they’ll be OK.”

What Morgan Gibbs-White did in response to Nottingham Forest chant as survival course plotted

Nottingham Forest claimed a big 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur to boost their Premier League survival hopes

Before a ball had been kicked in north London Vitor Pereira asked his Nottingham Forest players how much they wanted to stay in the Premier League.

He asked them how much they were willing to sacrifice in order to stay away from the trapdoor and secure another season of top flight football. How badly did they want it and how much did they care?

Ninety minutes later, he got his response. And it was delivered in thoroughly emphatic fashion.

The Reds’ answer wasn’t provided in the comprehensive 3-0 scoreline alone; it was also there in the way they dismantled a sorry Tottenham Hotspur team and ignited their own survival fight. The visitors were everything their opponents were not.

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The response came in the way Forest fought, scrapped and gave every last drop for the cause. It was there in the way Morgan Gibbs-White clenched his fists and roared when Igor Jesus broke the deadlock, and when Callum Hudson-Odoi waved his shirt in the air on the touchline as he watched Taiwo Awoniyi round off the scoring.

It was there, too, in the way the whole team came together as one to celebrate in front of the away end after the final whistle; Gibbs-White and Jesus being shoved forward by their teammates to take the acclaim. This has been a big week for Forest, and the connection between fans and club feels like it is back.

How much do the Reds want to stay in the Premier League? The way Sunday afternoon in the capital unfolded said it all. Below, NottinghamshireLive looks at some of the key talking points from the game.

Marvellous Morgan

Out of the England squad he may be, but Gibbs-White remains Forest’s main man. He is on a one-man survival mission and is determined to drag the rest of the dressing room with him.

If he makes Thomas Tuchel think again when it comes to his World Cup plans, then so much the better. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old might actually benefit from having a bit of a break over the next couple of weeks - even if he might not see it that way.

Gibbs-White had actually been fairly quiet up until the moment he connected with Hudson-Odoi’s cutback to make it 2-0 just past the hour. Once again, he stepped up and delivered when his team needed him.

Reds fans marked the goal by taunting Spurs over how they missed out on signing the No.10 last summer. Gibbs-White heard the chants and was caught on camera allowing himself a wry smile.

Finding the back of the net has been an issue for Forest this term, but here they had three different scorers, and two of them were strikers. It was the first time the Reds had scored three goals in a league game since December, when Spurs were toppled at the City Ground. Chris Wood was in attendance and will be licking his lips at getting back involved as he nears a return from a knee injury.

Brick wall at the back

Back-to-back clean-sheets in the league should give Pereira’s charges a huge dollop of belief heading into the final seven games. Murillo and, in particular, Nikola Milenkovic were back to their best on Sunday. It was like the partnership of last season.

Pereira admitted beforehand he faced a dilemma over who to start in goal, with Stefan Ortega having returned from injury to start in the Europa League in midweek. There is much to be said for familiarity, though, and sticking with the defensive unit that worked last term, and so Matz Sels got the nod.

The Belgian made some good saves and it seems likely he will keep his place when it comes to the league at least. What might change at some point is a switch to a back three again, whenever Jair Cunha recovers from injury.

The visitors had to ride their luck a little during a testing first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the hosts created a fair few chances. But the message from Pereira at half-time was to be themselves, and they were certainly more in control after the break.

Total commitment

Forest have been in this kind of situation before. For some of these players, at least, there will be a degree of muscle memory. They know what to expect from a dogfight at the bottom of the table.

Take Awoniyi, for example, scorer of some big goals in the Reds’ first two relegation battles after their return to the top-flight. A case could be made that he deserved more minutes after that terrific strike against Brentford a couple of months ago, but here he was bagging in the capital again.

Even those unaccustomed to scrapping for survival appear to have had it drilled into them what is required. It is why there was nothing short of full commitment from every player, with bodies being thrown in front of shots and lungs being busted to chase balls.

Contrast that with Spurs who afforded Jesus and Gibbs-White the freedom to score, and who assistant coach Bruno Saltor admitted had been unable to handle “the weight of the game”.

Anderson summed up Forest’s effort when he said: “It was all about the fight and determination. To a man, everyone was amazing. Everyone worked hard and we scored three good goals.”

Big week navigated

Having been the picture of calm during the game, Pereira looked somewhat emotional at the end as he tapped his chest after a round of fist-pumps. This was his first league win with the Reds, coming at the fifth attempt.

“It was the energy, and the connection between the supporters and the team and the staff and the club; feeling we are a family,” he explained. “As a family, we are stronger. This is something we need to create every time.”

This has been a huge week for the club, and potentially a season-defining one. Quarter-finals of the Europa League reached and a jump to 16th in the Premier League table courtesy of two momentous wins - with Sunday coming on the back of Thursday night's triumph over FC Midtjylland.

Pereira steered the course well, utilising his squad to good effect and getting the best out of the group. Now it is all about what comes next.

Forest know what is on offer, with a shot at silverware and safety on the line. They can smell it and will feel both are within reach. But the job is far from done on either front, and if this madcap season has taught us anything it is to give up predicting what might happen next.

Latest Nottingham Forest news as Vitor Pereira's Reds claim huge 3-0 win over relegation rivals Tottenham

Head coach Vitor Pereira got the perfect response after asking his Nottingham Forest players how much they wanted to remain in the Premier League before their clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Reds triumphed 3-0 in the capital to boost their survival hopes. Goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi clinched the three points for the visitors.

Victory meant Forest jumped above their opponents in the table and moved them three points clear of the relegation zone with seven games to go. Pereira has called for the same again from his team when they return from the international break for the run-in.

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He said: “We are in a moment of the season where if we want to be in the Premier League next season, we need to feel that… the question I asked them before the game was ‘how deep do you want to be in the Premier League next season?’

“How much can you sacrifice from yourselves to be in the Premier League next season? This is the answer that we need for ourselves. If we want a lot, we need to do a lot. This is the spirit, and when they come back I want it again.”

Victory in north London came on the back of the Reds’ triumph over FC Midtjylland in midweek which put them in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. They did not have it all their own way against Spurs, though.

“A good week for us. Difficult game,” Pereira said. “We started in a good level with the ball, trying to play in our way, but after 20 minutes we started to play their way. It was difficult for us.

“But in the end, we didn’t concede a goal. Some luck, I can accept. A lot of spirit.

“We scored from a corner we had worked on yesterday. At half-time, it was a very hard decision for us to stay with the same XI because the temptation is to sub some players and defend with a five.

“We decided to start with the same players and the same shape but trying to play our game. I asked the players to be themselves and play with the ball. We played at a better level in the second half.

“In a week where you win two games, it is important to give confidence and believe in ourselves. They showed they have character and personality. The supporters deserve it and the players deserve it.

“We won an important three points. But the spirit and the correct mentality is to believe you can get points everywhere.

“We have a lot of points to get until the end of the season. We must keep our mentality. We proved we can get points from every game. It is not about Tottenham, West Ham and Leeds, this is about us as a team - what we want as a team, what we want to be as a team and as players.

“If we want to play at our level or if we want to come here with fear, because of the stadium and the supporters. This is about us.”

Latest Nottingham Forest news as Vitor Pereira's Reds beat Spurs 3-0 in huge clash in the capital

Morgan Gibbs-White batted away any suggestions it was fate he would score against Tottenham Hotspur for Nottingham Forest.

Had last summer’s transfer window panned out differently, the 26-year-old might have been lining up for the home team in Sunday lunchtime’s clash in the capital. Instead, he is still wearing the Garibaldi Red and contributed to a huge 3-0 win for Vitor Pereira’s side over their relegation rivals.

Gibbs-White was close to joining Spurs before this season kicked off, but he ended up signing a new deal at the City Ground and is continuing to do his bit to keep Forest up. He joined Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi in getting on the scoresheet in the capital.

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"I can't say it was written in the stars,” Gibbs-White said of scoring against the team that tried to sign him. “I am just doing my best to help this team. I have shown that since the first day of coming here.

“It's not been plain sailing, but we all stick together - the manager, the owner, the fans and the players. I am delighted to be on the scoresheet but more importantly, it's the three points won.

“Taking three points here and having a bit of time off now to get relaxed and get ready for the fixtures that are to come. I can't wait for a few days off now."

With the three points, the Reds leapfrogged their opponents in the Premier League table. They are now three points clear of the drop zone, with seven games remaining after the international break.

"It's absolutely a huge result,” Gibbs-White told Sky Sports (via the BBC). “There was a lot of worry going into this game and about the outcome. But the boys were incredible.

"We defended with our lives today. We knew we needed to bring that fire, energy and commitment, and the boys showed that in abundance today.

"I was delighted we got the three points because it creates some gap now. But we can't just focus on that. We need to keep looking forward and keep focusing on the next game."

Nottingham Forest player ratings - duo stand out as Reds claim massive win over Spurs

Latest Nottingham Forest verdict as Vitor Pereira's Reds beat Spurs 3-0 in huge clash in the capital

Nottingham Forest boosted their survival hopes as goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi clinched a big 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Reds made the trip south with spirits high after progressing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in midweek. But there was no getting away from the importance of this six-pointer in the capital, with both clubs battling for Premier League survival.

Vitor Pereira’s side enjoyed plenty of possession in the early stages as they looked to kill the atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They couldn’t quite make the most of their bright start, though, and their opponents grew into the game.

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Chances began to rack up for Spurs, with Ibrahim Sangare blocking a shot from Mathys Tel, before Richarlison headed wide from a corner. In fact, Forest almost did their hosts’ hard work for them when Igor Jesus headed onto his own woodwork from a long throw.

As the midway point of the half approached, the Reds survived a penalty appeal when Pepe Matar Sarr went down under the challenge of Ola Aina. It was becoming all Spurs, with an effort from Omari Hutchinson straight at Guglielmo Vicario as close as Forest got.

All of that changed on the stroke of half-time, though. Jesus had an acrobatic swipe flicked over by Vicario then headed in from the resulting corner to give his team the lead.

Matz Sels ensured it remained 1-0 to the visitors at the break when he got a hand to a fierce Tel strike. But there was still time for another penalty scare, this time for Neco Williams, when VAR checked and cleared his challenge on Cristian Romero.

The Welshman had a great chance to double the Reds’ advantage shortly after the turnaround but could only head Elliot Anderson’s ball in straight at Vicario. Morgan Gibbs-White made no such mistake in the 62nd minute, however, as he was left in space to bury Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pull-back from inside the box.

Lucas Bergvall squandered a golden opportunity for Spurs with 15 minutes to go, then Sangare blocked a shot from Sarr. But substitute Taiwo Awoniyi wrapped up the three points when he poked in a Williams cross. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players in north London…

Matz Sels: Will be absolutely delighted with the shutout. Did his bit with a fine save to deny Tel. Real battle between the Belgian and Stefan Ortega to be No.1. Rating: 7.5/10

Ola Aina: Ended up on the deck early on after Tel had the beating of him, and it didn’t get much better from there for the Reds full-back. On another day might have conceded a penalty to round off a shaky performance. Rating: 5/10

Nikola Milenkovic: A colossus in the heart of the defence. Committed and composed throughout and a real leader as he marshalled the back line brilliantly. Gave his all for the full 90 minutes. Rating: 8.5/10

Murillo: Made plenty of big interventions to keep the hosts at bay. Had a key part to play in what could be a massive win and clean-sheet. A huge confidence-booster, too. Rating: 8/10

Neco Williams: Terrific delivery for Jesus’ header - a few more set-pieces like that would not go amiss in the remaining games. Might have held his breath when VAR checked for a penalty against him, but came away with a double assist. Rating: 8.5/10

Ibrahim Sangare: Needed to exert more control in the centre of the pitch as the Reds lost that particular battle. Task got all the more difficult when he picked up a booking early in the second half, but did make an important block to thwart Sarr. Rating: 7/10

Elliot Anderson: Had a swarm of Spurs players around him whenever he got the ball. Not an easy game to make an impact in but kept battling away. Could have made the breakthrough with an early chance. Rating: 7.5/10

Omari Hutchinson: Fired straight at Vicario with a first-half shot, but didn’t offer too much else in an attacking sense. Could have done with helping out a bit more defensively when Forest were coming under pressure. Rating: 6.5/10

Morgan Gibbs-White: Had last summer panned out differently, could have been on the home side for this one. Almost inevitable, then, that he should get on the scoresheet. Almost single-handedly doing his best to keep Forest up. Rating: 7.5/10

Callum Hudson-Odoi: Couple of moments of promise in the opening stages when he teed up Anderson then put too much on a cross to the back post. Faded after that, but came up trumps with a nice assist for Gibbs-White. Rating: 7/10

Igor Jesus: Fortunate not to concede an own goal in the first half but did manage to put the ball in the right net on the stroke of half-time. Only his third goal in the league, but what a huge one it could prove to be. Rating: 7.5/10

Subs

Ryan Yates (for Hudson-Odoi, 70mins): Battled away, as you would expect from the club captain. Contributed to a massive three points. Rating: 7/10

Taiwo Awoniyi (for Jesus, 71mins): Once again showed he can have a big part to play in the run-in. Delightful goal and another nice moment for the Nigerian. Rating: 7.5/10

Dan Ndoye (for Hutchinson, 80mins): Worked hard during his time on the pitch to help see the game out. Gave plenty for the cause. Rating: 6.5/10

Nicolas Dominguez (for Anderson, 90+1mins): Case could have been made to bring him on sooner. Fresh legs would have been useful. Rating: 6/10

James McAtee (for Gibbs-White, 90+1mins): Didn’t get long enough to do a great deal. Will hope for more minutes after the international break. Rating: 6/10

Subs not used: Ortega, Morato, Netz, Bakwa.

Nottingham Forest take on Tottenham Hotspur in crucial Premier League clash in the capital

Head coach Vitor Pereira has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Tottenham Hotspur in this afternoon's crucial Premier League clash.

With eight games to go, the battle for top flight survival is threatening to go right to the wire. The Reds are just one point below their opponents ahead of kick-off so know they would leapfrog them with a win.

Pereira is yet to register a league victory with Forest. But he has steered the club to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, and they will go into today's game in high spirits after clinching their place in the last eight in midweek.

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The Reds saw off Danish outfit FC Midtjylland to continue their continental adventure. Trailing from the first leg, they triumphed 2-1 on Thursday night, then came through 3-0 in the resulting penalty shootout.

Pereira had handed opportunities to several fringe players in Denmark as he picked a team with today's encounter in mind. Having to go through extra-time was not ideal, but the Portuguese was careful to ensure that key men played no more than an hour.

He has made nine changes to his starting XI in the capital. Nikola Milenkovic and Omari Hutchinson are the two players to retain their spots from midweek as Forest revert to arguably their strongest team.

Matz Sels returns in goal, with Stefan Ortega dropping to the bench. The Belgian will be behind a back four of Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Neco Williams.

Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson will make up the midfield. Hutchinson will join Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi in providing attacking support for front man Igor Jesus.

Many of those players who started in Denmark are on the bench in north London. Ortega, Morato, Taiwo Awoniyi, Dan Ndoye, Nicolas Dominguez, Ryan Yates, James McAtee, Luca Netz and Dilane Bakwa make up the list of substitutes.

Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus. Subs: Ortega, Morato, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Dominguez, Yates, McAtee, Netz, Bakwa.

Nottingham Forest face Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial relegation six-pointer in the capital this afternoon

Midfielder Ryan Yates wants Nottingham Forest to use the “noise” around Tottenham Hotspur to their own advantage in today’s big relegation six-pointer.

One point separates the teams ahead of kick-off, leaving the Reds eager to claim all three this afternoon (2.15pm kick-off) to leapfrog their opponents in the table. If they can triumph in the capital it would represent head coach Vitor Pereira’s first Premier League victory with the club.

Spurs appear to have found a bit of a spark under new boss Igor Tudor in their last couple of games, having drawn with Liverpool and beaten Atletico Madrid. But Yates believes the spotlight will still be firmly focused on the hosts, something that could work in Forest’s favour.

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“I think, even though it is Spurs, who are down there at the bottom with us, just getting a win against anybody at this time of the season would be big,” said Yates, who scored in midweek as the Reds progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League by seeing off FC Midtjylland. “It's not going to decide anything, but we want to keep the momentum from Thursday going. We're going to be fired up for it, it's going to be a good occasion.

“Like I say, it's not going to decide anything, but it's another opportunity for us to go and show what we're all about. They're under pressure to win as well. It's going to be a good game, probably decided by fine margins, and we want to make sure that goes our way.

“I would probably say there's a little bit more noise around them at the moment, shall we say? We need to have that belief that we can go anywhere and win and get points, like we've shown this season.

“We know they played very well the other night against Atletico, a team full of quality, but likewise, for ourselves. It will be a good matchup.”

Forest overturned a first leg deficit against Midtjylland, winning 2-1 on the night and 3-0 in the resulting penalty shootout. Yates wants to keep the feelgood factor from Denmark going against Spurs.

“I think it just gives us belief,” he said. “I think a lot of players who didn't play many minutes through the season have shown their quality, and they're going to be full of confidence and chomping at the bit to play. The performance levels from the guys who don't play is going to push the guys who are starting to raise their game, and ultimately that helps you win games.

“There's nothing better than winning games of football. I think that's what we do it for.

“We showed our quality and the depth of the squad. You need to enjoy it, look at what we did well, and use that momentum, but going forward, not just for Sunday.

“There's no excuse, we’re very privileged athletes. We get looked after and we've got plenty of time to recover. We're all going to be 100% going to into the game, and it's going to be a very exciting one for sure.”

Nottingham Forest face relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a crunch clash in the capital on Sunday

Vitor Pereira expects to face a Tottenham Hotspur team full of confidence on Sunday, but he wants all the focus to be on what his Nottingham Forest players are capable of.

Just one point separates the teams ahead of this weekend's huge showdown in the capital (2.15pm kick-off). The Reds travel south with the aim of leapfrogging their rivals in the table and boosting their survival hopes.

Pereira is yet to register a win with Forest in the Premier League but has steered them to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Spurs, meanwhile, seem to have sparked into life under new boss Igor Tudor in their last two games - drawing with Liverpool before beating Atletico Madrid at home in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"Yes, of course we watched them (in midweek). They are in a moment where they have confidence because they competed against Atletico Madrid, who are at a good level, and before that against Liverpool," Reds head coach Pereira said.

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"But it is not about Tottenham. This is not about Tottenham, it is about us and about what we want to be as a team.

"The mentality is to go there and compete for the three points, trying to win the game. This is the mentality I want to see - playing without fear, without fears of the stadium or Tottenham.

"We respect them a lot, but this (fear) is not my mentality or the mentality of my players. We go there to compete with them."

The Reds are in high spirits after their European comeback victory over Danish side FC Midtjylland on Thursday. Transferring that momentum to the domestic stage is now the aim.

"In football, things can change quickly. Mentality can change everything. Football is a lot about the mind. We work a lot on what happens on the pitch, tactics and the physical and technical side, but we forget football is about the shape of our mind," Pereira said.

"If we are confident, we can make fantastic things happen and play at a high level. If we are not confident, we don’t want the ball.

"At this moment, it is very important everyone feels the confidence to express themselves. What I watched on Thursday was players being themselves, which is what I asked of them.

“When we are defending, it is about team spirit, fighting for the ball and helping each other. But when we have the ball, it is about quality."

Few epitomise that sense of team spirit more than Ryan Yates. The midfielder led by example with a captain's performance in Denmark - scoring to make it 2-0 to the visitors on the night and almost winning it at the death in extra-time, only for VAR to intervene.

"He is pure, he is pure," said Pereira. "He has the character, the spirit, the fight to go until the last minutes.

"Sometimes, if I don’t tell him to stop, stop a bit, don’t go everywhere, he wants to go everywhere. Top player, top human being and we need to have these kinds of players in the team.

"That character is very important. During the game, every time he is pushing for the others, giving energy, fighting and showing that we can do it; that we have the quality, the power and the ambition to keep going. He is a fighter, and we need these players leading the team.

“When we win, what I like is to see the smiles on the faces. You go inside the dressing room and they have the smiles on their faces. To see the smiles on the faces of the supporters, listening to them singing, it is fantastic and it is the connection we need to be a family.”

Latest Nottingham Forest news as Vitor Pereira's Reds get set for key clash against Tottenham Hotspur

Head coach Vitor Pereira admits he has a key selection decision to make for Nottingham Forest’s huge clash with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

The Reds will make the trip to the capital for Sunday’s Premier League six-pointer (2.15pm) in high spirits after clinching a place in the Europa League quarter-finals in dramatic fashion. They overturned a 1-0 deficit in Denmark against FC Midtjylland to win 2-1 on the night and triumph 3-0 on penalties.

Stefan Ortega got the nod in goal for the second leg of the last 16 tie having recovered from injury. With the winter window signing and Matz Sels both now fit, there is a decision to be made over who starts between the posts.

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“Stefan plays at a very good level. Sels plays at a very good level. And I have a good headache to decide,” Pereira quipped.

“They have quality. If I play with one, they have some skills; the other one has different skills. But they are very good goalkeepers and I can trust in both.”

Pereira fielded a mostly second-string XI in Denmark, but did turn to some of his big-hitters from off the bench. He wants Forest to use the momentum from Thursday night going into Sunday’s showdown as attention switches back to the fight for survival.

“It is very important,” said the Portuguese. “The energy of a win is different and creates the confidence we need to have.

“Since the first day, I said we have a lot of talent, we just need to be consistent in our game. In this moment, we don’t just have 11 players, we have a lot of options. That is important in this moment. They have a confidence, and with the team spirit and mentality they can help the team in this moment.

“I tell you, I really believe that on Sunday we will go there with the right mentality and the physical conditions to play our game. Tactically, we will prepare the game and we will have the energy we need to compete for the three points. I don’t care if we are playing at home or away. No, it is XI against XI on the pitch and a chance for us to prove we have quality. That is what happened on Thursday.”