Nottingham Forest could have broken their Premier League survival hopes as danger in Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland fails to repay, writes JAMES SHARPE
This was, all things considered, the worst of both worlds for Nottingham Forest. Their European hopes now dangle by a thread and what a price they might have paid for it.
More miles into the legs of their already-jaded stars thrust into the apocalyptic storm that swirled around the City Ground and now a one-goal deficit to claw back in Denmark in Thursday’s second leg of this last-16 tie.
There is no chance Vitor Pereira can send out the stiffs for that game now, even if an almighty relegation showdown awaits at Tottenham three days later.
The Forest boss, deep down, may wonder if an exit from this tournament will allow him to focus on the Premier League, but not when this is the competition his owner wants to win so badly.
That Forest had been unable to convert any of their chances against Danish minnows Midtjylland was a frustrating enough sight for the drenched Pereira on the touchline, but when Cho Gue-sung got ahead of Ola Aina to head in Ousmane Diao’s cross with 10 minutes to go, he could not believe his eyes.
How many of his stars will have dried off and be ready to go against Fulham on Sunday, a crucial game given only goal difference keeps them above the Premier League relegation zone?
Nottingham Forest will have to overturn a deficit in the Europa League after they lost against FC Midtjylland on Thursday
Not many first-team players were rested in a competition the Forest owner is desperate to win
That was the dilemma here against the same opponents that essentially spelled the end for Ange Postecoglou in October.
How strong could Pereira afford to go? How many stars should he risk? How many did he feel he could rest? The answer was not many. Morgan Gibbs-White, Murillo and Elliot Anderson all started. No rest for the wicked.
A nasty late tackle on Gibbs-White inside the first two minutes that left the Forest skipper writhing on the grass was the last thing they needed. Kevin Mbabu put another on Callum Hudson-Odoi moments later and then Jair Cunha, who had already been a doubt for the game, limped off inside 10 minutes.
When Anderson was next to hit the turf, Pereira and his opposite number Mike Tullberg became embroiled in a heated spat. Forest could not afford to lose but they certainly could not afford to lose any key players along the way.
The plan was to get the bulk of the work done early so Pereira could rest men in the second leg. Not only did they not manage it, they have put both their survival and European glory at risk.
Forest controlled much of a scrappy contest short of quality but were unable to make it count. Omari Hutchinson and Anderson had long-range efforts tipped over the bar. Igor Jesus stabbed wide after Ola Aina had his own effort spilled. Gibbs-White’s shot inside the box deflected wide before he got in the way of Aina’s effort early in the second half.
It seemed inevitable Forest’s goal would come. Only it didn’t. When Hutchinson took far too long to get his shot away just before the hour, Pereira punched the air in disgust. He did the same when Anderson fired timidly at the keeper moments later.
Oh well, at least they could go into the second leg on level terms. That would not be a total disaster. And then substitute Cho got his head on the ball and the City Ground went silent. At full-time, boos filled the night sky.
The rain continued to fall. At one stage, every pass left a trail of water skidding behind a ball that kept coming to a standstill. You wonder if Forest’s season is doing the same, if not worse.
