Nottinghamshire

Chris Wood is nearing a return to first-team action.

The Nottingham Forest striker, who has not played since injuring his knee against Chelsea in October, featured in the first half of a match for the club's under-21 side last Friday and scored the opener in a 3-0 win.

If and when he returns, it will give boss Vitor Pereira another attacking option in both the Premier League survival battle and the latter stages of the Europa League.

Asked last week whether Wood could return for Forest's first Premier League match back against Aston Villa, Pereira said: "I don't know, I don't have the information about it. But he is another leader, a fantastic player and character, and we need him for the last games."

Wood was a leading light in Forest's exceptional 2024-25 season, scoring 20 league goals under Nuno Espirito Santo.

While this was a spectacular career-high return, he scored a key equaliser against Manchester City in the second half of the 2022-23 season during an injury-hit initial loan from Newcastle and was Forest's top scorer with 14 league goals in the 2023-24 season after making the move permanent.

A dramatic and chaotic drop-off by Forest this campaign has coincided with Wood's lengthy absence, elongated by requiring surgery in December.

While not being overly impressive, Forest scored 58 goals last season - averaging 1.42 per game, with Wood providing 34.8% of them. This season they have scored 31 times in 31 games so far - a one goal per game average - with Wood scoring just twice on the opening day.

Since his arrival at the City Ground in January 2023, Forest have played 67 games in which Wood has started, winning 25 times, and 59 games in which he has not, winning 15 times.

Forest's win percentage with him starting is 37.3% with a points-per-game rate of 1.4, while it is 25.4% without him with a points-per-game of 1.0.

His impact on their attacking output is shown in their goals per game dropping from 1.4 in games Wood starts to 1.1 in games he does not.

Forest fans - how much have you missed Wood this season? And what impact could he have on the rest of the campaign when he returns from injury?

Let us know here

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest finally have some clarity.

On a fourth manager of the season they may have found the right formula just in time.

Sunday's 3-0 win at Tottenham, so vital in the relegation battle, was their first in the Premier League under Vitor Pereira.

It was also Pereira's first win in the top flight in 11 months, having left Wolves in November winless this season.

The Portuguese has brought a sense of harmony to the City Ground since February after the players failed to gel with Sean Dyche.

The former Forest trainee lasted 144 days with the squad struggling to adapt to his methods and feeling there was too much focus on physicality and running over tactics.

The squad are more comfortable under Pereira and feel there is a clearer picture while they also believe, tactically, he looks to get the best out of them.

That comes after Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Dyche kept the door revolving at the club this season.

Pereira's time at Wolves ended in huge disappointment as the season fell apart quickly following mistakes in the transfer market and losing Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri but he has a track record of making quick impacts.

That has happened at Forest, even if it took five games for a Premier League victory. Forest beat Fenerbahce and Midtjylland to reach the Europa League quarter-finals and deserved more from a defeat by Liverpool.

The 2-2 draw at Manchester City at the start of the month showed Forest's steel for the fight.

They are still just three points clear of the relegation zone and still not safe but there is a sense, especially with Tottenham's downward momentum, Pereira can take Forest to safety.

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Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Neco Williams is in awe of what came before him. The names of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy revered as everlasting icons of Welsh football.

But is walking in their footsteps a gift or a curse? Living up to the soaring standards set by the aforementioned trio is an expectation Williams and his Wales colleagues have no option but to cope with.

Wales' shot at World Cup qualification arrives as a welcome distraction from Nottingham Forest's fight against relegation for Williams.

From a personal perspective, the 24-year-old is having the most consistent season of his career, having made 48 appearances for club and country.

On his own form, Williams said: "I'd say it's probably been one of my best and consistent seasons I've had as a player.

"I think I've missed one Premier League game from my own doing when I obviously got sent off.

"I've always found it a bit difficult to get that consistency and I think as a professional you need that consistency especially when you're playing in the Premier League."

Yet Williams' personal achievements are tempered somewhat by Forest's collective difficulties.

Of course, the managerial changes – current boss Vitor Pereira is the fourth head coach the Forest squad have worked under this season after Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche – have not necessarily helped the team find a consistent rhythm.

"Every manager or coach has their different ways," added Williams.

"I guess this is just part of the parcel of football where the manager goes, you've got to be ready for the next one and you've got to take on his ideas and his style of work straight away.

"You know, to have four different managers with four different styles and ways of working - you've just got to adapt quickly and get used to it.

"There's no time to sulk. You've just got to get on and you've got to get on board with his ideas straight away."

Ream more on Williams before Wales' key play-off

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on what you have made of Vitor Pereira's start as Forest boss.

Here are some of your comments:

Kris: Pereira feels like the right fit, after the mixed tenures of Ange and Dyche. Both of the latter seemed keen to reflect on their past successes when faced with adversity, and neither convinced. Pereira does more than talk the talk though. There has been more identity, structure and purpose to our play since he came in, and the players are visibly lifted. The majority of fans are behind him, the players too, so it can only get better from here…can't it? Take nothing for granted at Forest and enjoy the ride.

Edward: To have any chance of staying up a club has to have momentum. There can't be momentum without unity. 2022-23 was all about on field chaos until Cooper finally gelled the team that April. 2025-26 is all about off field chaos, but could the last two performances hint at a similar positive outcome for Pereira?

Grahame: Vitor has got the team playing again as one. Giving the players confidence has been the key. They look like the team from last season, long may it last.

John: Pereira seems to have recognised the style that suits the players and they seem to be responding. Will it be enough? I certainly hope so but Forest fans have learned not to underestimate what's happening behind the scenes so let's hope the powers that be leave Pereira and the squad to get on with it and we'll be alright. Some of the squad might even want to stay.

Tony: Finally the players seem like they are gelling and become the team that 'on paper' says they should be. The main task now is keep it going, stay up and stay together.