Sunday was always going to be a crucial game for Nottingham Forest. Defeat at the weekend means it has taken on added importance.
It is still not the be-all and end-all. The Reds will neither be on a slippery slope which they cannot get off if they lose, nor guaranteed survival if they win.
But there’s no escaping the feeling the clash with Everton has now taken on the mantle of Forest’s biggest match of the season so far. Not because it alone will decide their fate, more because of the impact it can have ahead of the run-in - both psychological and on the Premier League table.
