For any Nottingham Forest fans still discombobulated by the departure of Nuno Espírito Santo, the manager who led them into the Europa League, the irony of losing to a team who defended doughtily, scored from a set piece then played the rest of the game with backs to the wall and reliant on the occasional counter attack for relief may not be lost on them. But as Omar Alderete’s first-half goal elevated Sunderland into the Champions League places, Ange Postecoglou’s wait for a first win as Nuno’s successor in charge of Forest stretched to a fifth game.
These are strange times at the City Ground. Postecoglou took an understandably low-key approach to entering the home dugout for the first time as Forest manager before the game but it was the Sunderland fans who were celebrating come full-time after Alderete, their Paraguyan defender signed for £10m from Getafe in the summer, headed in the winner.
