Vitor Pereira
Nottingham Forest took a significant step towards securing their Premier League safety with a commanding victory on Friday night in the north-east. The Reds’ triumph moved them eight points clear of the relegation zone, ahead of West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur’s fixtures on Saturday. However, the victory was marred by an injury to centre-back Jair, who was forced off the pitch in the 50th minute, clutching his arm in apparent pain.
Vitor Pereira said: “We will see. I am concerned about this because if we lose players in the same position at this time, it is a big problem. I hope. We will see. I am not a doctor, so we will see.”
Jair’s injury comes at a challenging time for Nottingham Forest, as they are already dealing with the absence of Murillo, who sustained a suspected hamstring injury during last weekend’s 4-1 victory over Burnley. Murillo is expected to miss the upcoming Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa. Should Jair also be ruled out, it would leave head coach Vitor Pereira with limited options in the defensive department. Morato, who replaced Jair during the match against Sunderland, is likely to start at the City Ground next week if needed. Additionally, youngster Zach Abbott, who has impressed this season, could be considered as an option.
Vitor Pereira said: “We will see. It is a muscle injury. I’m not a doctor, I cannot predict, but he will be out (against Sunderland). I think it will be more than one game.”
The match against Sunderland saw a first-half goal blitz that set the visitors on their way to a comfortable win. After a Trai Hume own goal opened the scoring, Nottingham Forest netted three times in the space of seven minutes through Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Igor Jesus. Elliot Anderson rounded off the night with a goal in second-half added time.
Vitor Pereira said: “We create the true spirit of the team. When we celebrate, we feel that the players on the bench want to help the team. They feel we are family and we are fighting together with our supporters, who were fantastic again. We feel (the fans’) energy, even in the moments when we are suffering we know they are with us. I was very happy. You try to be calm, but it is not easy.”
Despite the injury setback, the victory against Sunderland highlighted the team’s resilience and unity. Nottingham Forest will be hoping for positive news on Jair’s injury as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures, with the aim of continuing their push for Premier League safety.
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