Vítor Pereira had promised Nottingham Forest would approach this assignment with a “Champions League mentality” and his players did not disappoint him.
A fabulous attacking performance not merely succeeded in ruining Sunderland’s lingering European ambitions but also lifted 16th-placed Forest to 39 points. That is within touching distance of safety and given Pereira’s team are now six points clear of West Ham and eight in front of Tottenham, the struggle to avoid the final remaining relegation place is surely between the two London clubs now.
Hats off to Forest’s fourth manager of the season for having the bravery to field two central strikers and to, among others, the excellent, Morgan Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus and Chris Wood for making it work so effectively.
It did not take long for Forest to hurt Sunderland. The game had barely begun before Ibrahim Sangaré, albeit accidentally, trod on the hand of the prone Noah Sadiki and the midfielder’s wrist needed to be strapped in the most enormous bandage.
It was perhaps symbolic of things to come as further, and considerable, pain was to follow for Sadiki and friends. In the 17th minute Omari Hutchinson played a short corner before crossing to the far post where Igor Jesus’s header was inadvertently helped on beyond Robin Roefs by a deflection off the back of Trai Hume’s head.
