Nottingham Forest’s Premier League status will not be decided by what happens in January, but it could be defined by it.
Just as that 4-0 thumping at Leicester City proved to be a turning point - both for the depths the Reds plummeted with their performance and how it led to the club’s decision to back, rather than sack, Steve Cooper - so this month can be equally as important to how this season pans out.
Starting it with a draw against Chelsea was a positive. Not just because of the valuable point gained courtesy of a spirited fightback against one of the big guns, but also because of the excellent second half display which showed exactly what this team is capable of, and which really merited a victory.
