Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest: Europa dream continues to be alive…now Sean Dyche should work out which understudies he trusts in warmth of relegation battle

If Nottingham Forest are to survive relegation and progress in Europe, Sean Dyche needs to find a way to rely on players he does not seem to trust.

Igor Jesus’ late winner, after Mike van der Hoorn had cancelled out Arnaud Kalimuendo’s opener, kept alive Forest’s chances of qualifying automatically for the last 16 of the Europa League. Yet despite a first away win in Europe since 1995, the second string largely failed to impress.

But with six Premier League fixtures to come between Sunday and January 3, Dyche knows he is taking a risk if he continues to select only his preferred players for those games.

Since replacing Ange Postecoglou on October 21, Dyche has overseen seven Premier League games, winning three, losing three and drawing one. Only 15 players have made the starting XI during that time, and it might have been fewer had Murillo not missed three matches through injury.

Dyche’s first seven league games spanned 42 days. The next six will take place between December 14 and January 3 – three weeks exactly. How will Dyche solve the rotation puzzle?

Defence

With Ola Aina still sidelined, Dyche has settled on a first-choice back four of Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Neco Williams in front of Matz Sels.

Morato is the deputy to Murillo and Milenkovic but beyond that, Forest have few options in those roles – bizarre for a club who spent so heavily last summer. No wonder Dyche would like to reinforce during the January window and admires Lewis Dunk, though the Brighton defender is unlikely to leave his current club.

Zach Abbott, 19, acquitted himself well on his fourth senior appearance of the season

Homegrown youngster Zach Abbott has impressed Dyche and was solid against Utrecht but Dyche desperately needs Aina to return. Oleksandr Zinchenko is fit again and could play at left-back with Williams switching to the right. 

Yet the Ukrainian looks flimsy and it is hard to imagine him shackling the sprinters of the modern Premier League.

Midfield

When he looks at his options in the middle, Dyche must wish he could fast-forward to January. Skipper Ryan Yates would undoubtedly have started some of the forthcoming games but he is sidelined with a hamstring injury and to make matters worse, Ibrahim Sangare will soon link up with the Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Forest have shown interest in another Brighton player, Jack Hinshelwood, but even if they could agree a deal for the versatile midfielder, they cannot do anything until the turn of the year.

Elliot Anderson has been one of the stars of the season and if he can start every game, he will. Nicolas Dominguez is a reliable Premier League performer. But what of Douglas Luiz? The Brazilian was signed on loan from Juventus last summer but has struggled with injury.  

He was taken off at half-time in Utrecht – the third occasion in his short Forest career that this has happened. Hardly the sign of someone about to take on a key role for Dyche.

Igor Jesus scored the second goal of the game to clinch victory for Forest

Attack

At least Forest are well covered in wide areas, with Dan Ndoye, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Omari Hutchinson available and Dominguez also able to slot in. None has fired on all cylinders this term, though.

The same can certainly be said James McAtee, who was bafflingly poor again and was replaced by Anderson for the second half here. A £25million signing from Manchester City, McAtee looks well below the level of Morgan Gibbs-White and it is hard to him stepping in for the England man for any more than a few minutes per game.

Though Igor Jesus has performed very well in the No9 role, Dyche would love Chris Wood back. Last season’s top scorer has not played since October 18 due to a knee problem and appears no nearer to returning.

As Forest’s third coach of the season, Dyche is grappling with a squad not built to his specifications. And in the weeks ahead, he will need all his skill and imagination to keep Forest on the right track.