Notts Forest relish break from relegation fight after shoot-out win to reach Europa quarter-finals

It is a shame for Nottingham Forest supporters that they have not been able to fully enjoy the possibilities of a first European campaign in a generation because of an ongoing fight against relegation.

Forest will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Danish club Midtjylland and reach the Europa League quarter-finals, but a pivotal domestic fixture at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday looms.

Forest are above West Ham United and the relegation zone on goal difference, and one point behind Spurs. Vitor Pereira, appointed as Forest’s head coach following Sean Dyche’s departure, played down the possibility of wholesale changes.

He said: “We are in a moment where we need to be united. I cannot have players for one game and other players for another game.

“They worked a lot to be here [in the Europa League]. We need them for tomorrow. We need to see the team united and everyone in condition to help.

“We don’t have a big squad. It means it is important we feel we are together in this game, trying to get the result to qualify. We are committed together.”

Forest relied on Chris Wood’s goals last season but the 34-year-old has been out since October with a knee injury.

He was pictured back in training this week and could make a return sooner rather than later, although tonight’s game will come too soon for him.

The Premier League side had plenty of territory and efforts on goal against Midtjylland at the City Ground Cho Gue-song’s late header.

Midtjylland was formerly owned by Matthew Benham, of Brentford fame, and were used as a guinea pig for the professional gambler’s algorithmic approach to the game before he took the leap of buying Brentford. In keeping with that strategy, the Danish club were also pioneers in maximising set-pieces through their data-led approach.

Full team news on the way shortly.