Analysis: Good start to a key week
[Getty Images] Forest are unbeaten in their past five games in all competitions as Vitor Pereira looks to steer them away from trouble. With a three-point cushion to the relegation zone, survival is in their hands - especially with the visit of second-bottom Burnley to the City Ground next Sunday. Four points from home games against Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and fellow strugglers Burnley would represent a crucial return in the fight against the drop.
They are battling for it and rode their luck against Villa - with Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins missing superb openings - but it is another point on the board. Pereira's decision to rest a number of senior players for the midweek Europa League draw at Porto also paid off, and with Chris Wood making his return after six months out injured this week the momentum is with Forest. Premier League survival is the priority - Pereira saying it would be a "disaster" if Forest were to be relegated - but in a week which will define their season they have made a positive start.
Porto visit in the Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday, and come Sunday evening Forest could be almost safe and into a European semi-final.