Forest captain Gibbs-White sends Liverpool warning
Nottingham Forest have set up Sunday’s Premier League meeting with us in the most awkward way possible, because their 3-0 Europa League win at Fenerbahce ended with their captain Morgan Gibbs-White immediately talking about Liverpool and how quickly attention has to shift.
The England midfielder, speaking to TNT Sports (via BBC Sport) after the final whistle, framed the performance as a marker of what Vitor Pereira wants, saying “I felt we had a real identity out there.
“We defended well and we created so many chances,” before adding that Forest can “enjoy it tonight and then prepare for Liverpool at the weekend.”
That last line is the bit that matters for us, because it shows Forest’s mindset is already on the City Ground test against Arne Slot’s side rather than getting lost in European celebrations.
Gibbs-White also stressed that Pereira’s messaging has landed instantly, with Forest’s captain explaining “his message to us is that we will have a real identity how we play and defend as a team,” and that the squad have “all bought into what he wants straight away.”
From our point of view, it is another reminder that Sunday is not just about playing Forest, it is about playing a Forest side that feel they have been given clarity and freedom at the same time.
Pereira leaned into that theme too, with the Portuguese coach saying that the best thing for him was “the quality of the players,” and adding “I asked them to express themselves on the pitch. They did it.”
What Forest said about Liverpool after Europa League win
Forest’s comments read like a team that believes a turning point is possible, because Gibbs-White spoke about confidence being the “main thing” and called the night “an all-round incredible day,” while still keeping Liverpool firmly in view.
That is exactly why Slot’s pre-match point about preparation being complicated by managerial change feels relevant, because our head coach has already said “we only have tonight [Forest’s Europa League match at Fenerbahce] to see if this new manager changes personnel,” and Forest have now given us a first look at the mood and the message.
Forest’s Europa League win in numbers
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pereira first-game record | Unbeaten in first match in charge, Forest is his 15th spell (W11 D4) |
| Forest European milestone | Biggest ever away win in major European competition |
| Murillo history | First Forest defender to score an away goal in major Europe since Steve Chettle (March 1996) |
| Fenerbahce record | Joint-biggest home Europa League defeat (also 3-0 in 2012 and 2021) |
| Igor Jesus scoring | Seven Europa League goals this season, most by any player in the competition |
| Club record | Jesus overtakes Gary Birtles for most goals in a Forest European campaign (7 vs 6) |
The wider concern for us is that Forest have momentum, they have a fresh bounce, and they have players openly talking about identity and confidence, which is not what you want to hear from a team you are meeting away from home in a tight top-six race.
We also know we will not have Jeremie Frimpong this weekend, while Joe Gomez is expected to be ready to start, and the timing of that matters because Forest’s new manager has already made a strong first impression and Sunday arrives quickly.
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