A long winless run finally came to an end at the City Ground on Wednesday night as Nottingham Forest toppled Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Reds gave their survival hopes a shot in the arm as they beat the Seagulls 3-1. They now have five matches remaining to try to avoid the drop.
Building on their midweek success will be key as Forest bid to turn around their poor away form, starting against Brentford on Saturday. Ahead of the clash at the Gtech Community Stadium, here’s our round-up of the goings-on Trentside.
READ MORE: Forest questions answered on relegation scrap and Worrall
READ MORE: Gibbs-White video shows Forest star loving life at the City Ground
Timely boost
I Believe in Miracles was shown on BT Sport prior to the game… A lucky omen? A sign of another miracle to come? Either way, what followed on the pitch at the City Ground certainly got many believing again.
In the circumstances, it was arguably a must-win game for the Reds against Brighton. Buoyed by a gutsy display at Anfield in their previous match, they showed the same level of fighting spirit.
The absence of the Steve Cooper fist-pumps got plenty of fans talking after the final whistle, but with any luck they will make a reappearance before the end of the campaign. And while that may not be the sole motivation for his players, striving to experience an atmosphere like Wednesday night again can be.
"Nobody wants to go down, that's for sure,” Cooper explained. “I said to the guys before the game, in our last words before the lads get the final prep done, that we all want the same thing and we've got to go deliver.
"We've been saying that all season. But we all want the same thing. There's nobody who doesn't want success. That looks like getting the right amount of points in the next five games.
"I was asked if getting this win can be the change? No, we've got to make it. Whatever was good, let's not take it for granted, realise how hard it was to get the success we got in the game - because it was, we gave everything - and use it now for Brentford.
“I don't want us to feel like we've won a game now, so we can draw a line under anything and that's it. No. We've got to take whatever was good from it and look at the things which weren't right, get it together quickly and take it to London at the weekend. Let's try to sort our away form now.”
A long time coming
Not just the win, but also the goal tally. Finding the back of the net has been a challenge for much of the campaign, so to get three in a game represents a significant landmark.
It is the first time the Reds have scored three times in a Premier League match since March 1999, when they beat Wimbledon by the same scoreline as they managed on Wednesday night. They also came from behind to claim a victory in the league for the first time this term. They say things come in threes, so you can add Danilo’s first goal in the Garibaldi to complete the set.
Brighton compliment
It would be easy for some pundits to suggest Albion were easy prey for Cooper’s side, worn out after the effects of their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United on Sunday. But goalkeeper Jason Steele was having none of it - and quite right, too. The hosts more than deserved the result.
“We had enough time to get over that, it was just one of those nights when the big moments went against us,” Steele said. “Big moments in the game seemed to go against us at big times and when (Forest) got theirs they took them.
“The atmosphere was electric throughout, which we knew it would be, but I thought we played well and controlled the first half. But they took their chances in the second half.”
Looking ahead
A couple of big games to come before then, of course, but news of the goings-on at Chelsea will be of interest ahead of next month’s trip to Stamford Bridge. The Blues suffered a fifth successive defeat under Frank Lampard on Wednesday night, with Forest’s next opponents, Brentford, triumphing 2-0.
There has been plenty of talk about the Chelsea hot seat and whether another change might be made, despite Lampard due to remain in the job until the summer. Mauricio Pochettino looks to be the frontrunner to take charge, but Sky Sports report that won’t happen before the end of the season. It is said the club intend to stick with Lampard for the final games. Some Forest fans have reacted positively to the update. “Great news,” said one on social media.
Will Forest stay up? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT
