Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White says the team have found a new identity under Vitor Pereira after Sean Dyche's sacking, following their 3-0 Europa League win at Fenerbahce ahead of Sunday's match against Liverpool
Liverpool.com
11:19, 21 Feb 2026
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White(Image: Ahmet Okatali/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Morgan Gibbs-White believes Nottingham Forest have already uncovered a "real identity" under new manager Vitor Pereira ahead of their Premier League encounter against Liverpool.
Forest prepared for Sunday's visit of the champions to the City Ground with a commanding 3-0 victory at Turkish outfit Fenerbahce in their Europa League play-off first leg on Thursday evening.
It was Pereira's opening match in charge after former Everton manager Sean Dyche was dismissed by Forest chairman Evangelos Marinakis with the side lingering above the drop zone. And Gibbs-White, who netted Forest's third goal in Istanbul, believes circumstances have already shifted due to Dyche having been replaced.
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"I felt we had a real identity out there," he said to TNT Sports. "We defended well and we created so many chances.
"His message to us is that we will have a real identity how we play and defend as a team. We have all bought into what he wants straight away.
"It is about learning off each other and taking it game by game. We needed a clean sheet and we needed a win and (it) felt like the perfect moment.
"We have been going through a difficult time, confidence is the main thing and this will boost confidence. We just have to stay together and be the most complete team."
Pereira said: "Everyone must be ready to help the team. This is what I ask them. I realized before I came that the players have a lot of quality. They need results but they need to enjoy the game.
"If they enjoy the way they are playing they can have a high level. They need organisation and confidence. I asked them to express themselves on the pitch. They did it."
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Forest beat Liverpool 3-0 under Dyche at Anfield earlier in the season and Arne Slot is aware of the challenge ahead.
Slot said: "Back then [in November] they were in a different management as well, because I think it was Sean Dyche's third or fourth game. That sometimes makes it a little bit more difficult because we only have tonight to see if this manager changes personnel, changes tactics. The good thing is that there is still one game to be played before we play them and we, of course, know him because he worked last season in the Premier League as well.
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"But usually you would also adapt to the players you have. Although managers have a preferred playing style, you take into account which players you have as well. So, let's see. It was a difficult game for us in the beginning of the season – although, again, I'm going to say the same in that the first half-hour was very, very good from us, [with] chance after chance and then we conceded a set-piece and the game went completely the opposite way. So, we know what we can expect if we play Forest because I've played them three times already.