Morgan Gibbs-White is scoring at a rate that would make any striker proud — nine goals in 14 games since a new manager arrived in February. Under Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira, Nottingham Forest have transformed from a club battling relegation into one with genuine momentum heading into a European semi-final. Forest host Aston Villa on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, and the City Ground is buzzing with belief that this team can go all the way to Istanbul on May 20.
The numbers tell a striking story. Forest are third in the Premier League form table over the past six matches, having scored 15 goals including a 5-0 thumping of Sunderland on Friday. Nine of those goals came in just two games against Burnley and Sunderland. The revival has given the club breathing room — five points above third-bottom Tottenham with four games remaining — which means Forest can approach their European quest without the handbrake fully on.
Pereira arrived in February as Forest's fourth manager since September, inheriting a squad that had lost confidence and identity. The Portuguese immediately identified two problems: players unsure of their own ability and a lack of cohesive style on the pitch. His remedy was both simple and effective — restore belief, then introduce a possession-based system tailored to the squad's qualities. Training sessions now include music, which Pereira plays during warm-ups to reduce tension and boost energy before matches.
"The players responded well, embraced the changes and met the high standards in training," the article notes. The tactical shift is measurable: open-play crosses have dropped by 31 percent, deep crosses down 29 percent, but shots from through-balls are up 31 percent. The result is 30 percent more big chances created and 75 percent more of those chances being converted.
Gibbs-White, 26, has been the chief beneficiary. His nine-goal burst has put him in the conversation for England's World Cup squad, and his form has elevated Forest's Europa League ambitions. The club has accumulated the best expected goals total in the competition at 27.8 across 14 games, taking 414 touches in the opposition box and scoring 23 goals from 88 shots on target. Striker Igor Jesus sits joint top of the competition's scoring charts with seven goals.
Villa, by contrast, have stumbled since key midfielders Youri Tielemans and John McGinn returned from injury — managing just 16 points from 14 league games since January. Forest's recent revival and Villa's inconsistency have shifted the dynamic. Braga or Freiburg await in the final, and after the eight-match unbeaten run, Forest believe they can prevail.
This is a club without a major trophy since 1990, yet one that won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. Now, under Pereira's music-soaked sessions and tactical clarity, the City Ground dares to dream again. The handbrake is off. The goals are flowing. And on Thursday, Forest get to show Europe what they're made of.