Nottingham Forest find themselves in the thick of the survival battle as the business end of the Premier League season approaches.
With nine games to go, only goal difference is keeping the Reds above the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s clash at Aston Villa. There is still little to choose between a bunch of teams, however, as Forest are one of four sides on 27 points.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis put an end to suggestions boss Steve Cooper’s job was in jeopardy after eight matches without a win, but warned results must improve “immediately”. As Cooper’s men prepare for the trip to Villa Park, here’s our round-up of the latest goings-on Trentside.
READ MORE: Cooper sends heartfelt message after Forest fans' show of support
READ MORE: How Forest's run-in compares to relegation rivals after Marinakis warning
Key message
Cooper had a clear point he wanted to get across as his players look to turn around a dismal run of form. He often refers to the importance of having belief, and he has really rammed home that point ahead of this weekend.
It was something the Reds didn’t particularly put into practice at Elland Road on Tuesday night, when they let the game slip away from them after taking the lead. They know they need to do much better against an in-form Villa side, if they are to have any chance of improving their poor record on the road.
“Thinking about it a lot, the biggest thing we’ve done here in the last 18 months or so is build belief,” Cooper said. “Build belief in our club, in our city, in our team, in the way we work and in our relationships with each other. This is the time to believe more than ever.
“That’s where we have to really focus. We have to believe in how we play, believe in how good we can be and believe in our teammates and staff. Now is the time to really show that.
“It was always going to be a tough season. There was no hiding away from that, with the circumstances we’ve all had to work and play in.
“We’re getting to the part of the season now where there’s even more scrutiny, and rightly so. We want to be in this league, so let’s continue to believe in what we do.
“We need to play much better than what we did the other night. We need to pick up more points than what we have done recently - we knew that anyway. We’ve got to really commit to that now.
“We’ve got to have a must-win mentality now for every game, because we are really getting to the countdown period of games. Points are always precious in the Premier League, but there is even more scrutiny on them now.”
Stat attack
Centre-back Felipe has arguably been the pick of Forest’s January recruits so far. Since being drafted in against Fulham in February, when Scott McKenna and Willy Boly went down injured at the same time, the Brazilian has gone from strength to strength.
He has been overworked at times, when his team have come under pressure. Against Leeds, for example, he won possession in the defensive third 12 times, according to WhoScored.com. The stats show no other player has topped that tally in a single Premier League game this term.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Morgan Gibbs-White leads the way for chances created for those teams outside of the “big six”. He is tied with Everton’s Alex Iwobi on 41, not including set-pieces, according to TheOther14 on Twitter.
Debut on the way?
More than a fortnight since his loan move to DC United was announced, Reds midfielder Lewis O’Brien could be set to make his first appearance for the MLS outfit. The Washington Post report the 24-year-old has now received the work visa he required to play in the United States.
That makes him eligible for selection to face Columbus Crew this weekend. If he does feature, he will get his first competitive minutes since January, when he came off the bench against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.
O’Brien made the move to the City Ground from Huddersfield Town last summer but found himself down the pecking order. His loan with DC United runs until July 16, with Wayne Rooney’s team having 18 league games scheduled before then.
Injury woes
Forest’s injury troubles have been well documented this season. They have certainly added to the challenges Cooper has had to face, and some of the club’s on-loan players have also been struggling on that front.
Defender Fin Back, who has been on loan at Carlisle United, is set to miss the rest of the season. Only recently recovered from a hamstring problem which required surgery, he might now need to go under the knife again, this time on his other hamstring.
In better news, it is hoped forward Will Swan could return for the final stretch of Mansfield Town’s promotion push. He is currently back at the Nigel Doughty Academy, receiving treatment for an ankle issue, but is said to be making good progress.
“Will is under Forest's supervision with all their facilities and he checks in with us every now and again,” Stags boss Nigel Clough told the Mansfield Chad. “We're hoping he may be back in a couple of weeks for the last four games.
“When you look at important key players and who is going to get you a goal at times when you're struggling at home, he has done that so many times through this season. He is a big, big miss. People like Will Swan are vital and it's his goals that have got us to where we are in a lot of ways. He is our leading scorer.”
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