Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira has insisted that his side will not be victims in their quest to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
West Ham’s emphatic 4-0 thrashing of Wolves on Friday dragged the Hammers out of the relegation zone, and though it was Tottenham Hotspur who fell into the bottom three, the pressure on Forest was ramped up as Nuno Espirito Santo closed the gap on his former employers to just two points.
As Spurs were falling to defeat in the north east against Sunderland, an opportunity presented itself for Forest to capitalise and pull clear of the drop once again. A game against Champions League-chasing Aston Villa was never going to be plain sailing, but few would have expected the rollercoaster that ensued.
Murillo turned the ball into his own net in the 23rd minute, unable to redirect Morgan Rogers’ simple cross anywhere other than beyond Matz Sels, giving the Villans a lead that their start to the game justified.
For Forest, it was nervy. Unforced errors, tension in the stands and unease when Villa pushed forward worsened the already difficult conditions created by the thrashing wind and rain.
Too often have Forest left themselves a mountain to climb in the second half, a fate which they have often succumbed to. But today was different.
Fighting through the challenge, Neco Williams latched onto a ball on the edge of the box seven minutes from the break and placed a clinical effort past Marco Bizot at the near post to pull the Reds level.
It was a moment of individual brilliance, and one which Pereira said sums the Wales international up perfectly.
“He’s a fighter,” the Portuguese Head Coach said after the game, “he’s not a victim, he's a fighter. He doesn’t complain.”
That fighter mentality persisted throughout a battling second half. Though there were very promising spells for Forest, which they may look back on with regret, perseverance and grit prevented heartbreak at the City Ground.
Villa had numerous occasions where they were left red-faced for not retaking the lead, moments which asked plenty of questions of Forest’s character.
As they did against Villa, Pereira was clear that his Forest side will fight until the end in their bid to retain their Premier League status, and will blame nobody but themselves when things do not go right.
“Some teams prefer to be victims; we prefer to be warriors and fight every day,” he passionately insisted.
When Chris Wood was introduced from the bench in the 65th minute, you would have been forgiven for mistaking the crowd’s reaction for that of a late winner. But, making his first City Ground appearance since October, Wood was worthy of the reception, with many hoping that his return to fitness can pull Forest over the line and aid their European dream.
Pereira also appreciated supporters’ reaction to his return on Trentside, and insisted that the New Zealand international can play a big part in what remains of the season.
“The energy was great, of course, because he’s a player who scores goals,” he said. “He has a very good character and relationship with the fans.
“He’s getting physically stronger and his confidence back, and I’m sure he’ll help us.“
Significant though his return was in the bigger picture of Forest’s season, he was unable to help the Reds secure all three points, as a draw was played out in front of the Forest faithful.
Reflecting on the nature of the result, Pereira was adamant that a draw serves as a positive result for Forest at a crucial time.
“One point is one point,” he said. “Of course, we wanted to win the game, but we were facing a team who are trying to reach the Champions League.
“It was a game with a lot of chances. We had some chances to score some more goals, and so did they.
“It was an open game until the last minute and, in the end, I’m happy because one point is better than nothing.
“I remember the Liverpool game, and one point there was very big in the moment.”
The 57-year-old is under no illusion that an enduring battle awaits his side in the coming weeks, but he made one thing clear: Forest will be ready.
“We need to understand it will be a marathon until the end,” he admitted, “we need to be ready and resilient.”