Nottingham Forest plotting road to safety under Sean Dyche | OneFootball

Forest’s Fight Against Relegation

Nottingham Forest slipped into the bottom three in the Premier League hours after Ange Postecoglou’s quiet departure from the City Ground, following the lunchtime defeat to Chelsea. Burnley’s 2-0 win over Leeds United lifted Scott Parker’s side out of danger, consigning Forest to the relegation zone for the first time since March 2024. Back then, a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules briefly dropped Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to 18th before a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace lifted them out.

The return to the bottom three came after 567 days outside of it, marking a dramatic footnote to Postecoglou’s troubled tenure. Expectations had been far higher. Forest’s seventh-place finish last season had earned them a place back in Europe after three decades, and the club had invested close to £200m on 13 new players to compete domestically and abroad. Relegation was not part of the plan.

Next Steps Under Dyche

Sean Dyche now faces a dual challenge. While navigating the Europa League, he must also steer Forest away from danger. Only three points separate Forest from Newcastle in 14th, and eight teams remain vigilant at the lower end of the table. The 3-1 win over Leeds, Forest’s first under Dyche, was crucial. “People forget, after one good season, you’re not just suddenly guaranteed to be a top-10 Premier League club. It takes a long time to make sure you are thought of as that. It’s a process,” Dyche said ahead of the Leeds fixture.

Dyche has strengthened a squad already brimming with potential, adding young, exciting talent to a side that had previously overachieved. Unlike Postecoglou, Dyche prefers simplicity and clear structures. His immediate task is to translate optimism into results over the next eight league games before the turn of the year.

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Crucial Fixtures Ahead

Forest face a testing run, beginning with a trip to Anfield. Last September, Callum Hudson-Odoi’s counter-attack helped secure Forest’s first win at Liverpool in 55 years. Another victory will be a tall order, as Arne Slot’s side continue to struggle for form. Subsequent games include Brighton at the City Ground, Wolves away, and a visit to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Home fixtures against Manchester City and Everton will close the year. Dyche’s focus will be on maximising points against teams closer to them in the table while keeping morale high.

Maintaining Stability and Confidence

Dyche’s early days have shown promise, with only the Bournemouth defeat standing out as concerning. Wins over Porto and Leeds, and competitive draws with Sturm Graz and Manchester United, indicate Forest have not lost their spark. Dyche emphasised, “We’ve come in after other managers to try to put it right. So far, I think there are positive signs about the performance levels. But the performance levels have got to win games.”

Forest’s immediate pathway out of the relegation zone is clear. Securing points against lower and mid-table teams, building consistency, and maintaining belief will be key if they are to turn a precarious start into a stable finish in 2025.