Vítor Pereira creates harmony out of chaos to have Nottingham Forest dreaming big

Morgan Gibbs-White has been freed up by Pereira’s tactics and has found a vein of goalscoring form. Photograph: News Images/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

In recent weeks Pereira has selected two strikers, aided by Chris Wood’s return to fitness. Igor Jesus has started alongside the New Zealand international, creating a highly successful partnership. This has resulted in Morgan Gibbs-White, who felt restrained by Sean Dyche’s methods but has bloomed in the spring under Pereira, embracing the pressure of leading his team forward through goals and assists and by setting an example for work rate. Few will doubt his desire to play on Thursday, despite the nasty facial injury sustained at Chelsea.

Dyche had done a good job at Forest but the players did not appreciate his methods and were keen to change. Pereira wanted the role, aided by a previous relationship with the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, because he knew the opportunity to manage the talent available was one unlikely to come up again, especially after being let down by Wolves’ summer recruitment. Dyche did what he had to, settling things down after a tumultuous start to the season, whereas Pereira wanted to offer greater freedom. Forest are the highest scorers in the league since the Portuguese’s arrival, with 19 in nine matches, and have the third-best defence and would sit sixth over the period, according to Goalpoint. Under Pereira, Forest have scored 8.02 goals above xG, arguably a result of the increase in confidence and risk-taking.

Pereira is heavily reliant on his staff to do most of the work on the training ground. They are on the pitch to make sure every detail is right and nothing is missed by the group, knowing the minor details can be the most important. It is a primus inter pares approach to management. “Kudos to the manager and the staff – not only the people on the ground but the nutritionists, the physio,” Awoniyi said after beating Chelsea. “It’s all about the team and looking forward to the next game. I believe it could be an amazing season for us.” The Nigerian’s words offer an insight into the collective mentality groomed by Pereira.

Forest are building momentum, belief providing the foundations. The players are confident in the management and vice versa, not something previously said this season. Nuno Espírito Santo was irked by slow recruitment, Ange Postecoglou failed to build a relationship with the squad amid terrible results and Dyche was effective but his personality grated.

Pereira’s first game was in Istanbul against his former club Fenerbahce, where Forest laid down a marker with a superb 3-0 win. He is 90 minutes from returning to the Turkish city he once called home again for the Europa League final and the chance to battle it out for silverware and Champions League qualification. As in politics, the battle at Forest is to maintain unity but Pereira is doing it in the short term, and triumphing on Thursday night would help fortify them for the long term.