Nottingham Forest close in on Sean Dyche replacement as club set to appoint fourth manager of season

Per BBC Sport, Forest are set to appoint Pereira as their fourth permanent manager of the season, as they bid to avoid the drop after their 0-0 draw with Wolves, who remain rooted to the bottom of the league table. The club have thus far been managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, who is now at West Ham United, Ange Postecoglou, and Dyche, with Pereira now poised to complete the quartet. The BBC reports that Pereira quickly emerged as the preferred choice of owner Evangelos Marinakis, who previously employed the Portuguese at Olympiacos in Greece.

Pereira kept Wolves in the Premier League last season but they only mustered two points from their first 10 games this term, and he was subsequently sacked from the Molineux club. 

Forest did not waste any pleasantries on Dyche, issuing a statement which read: "Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as head coach. 

"We would like to thank Sean and his staff for their efforts during their time at the Club and we wish them the best of luck for the future. We will be making no further comment at this time."

Dyche may well have been taken by surprise, with his programme notes insisting that the club required their fans to give them full-throated support; Forest have only actually lost one of their last five games, including a 0-0 draw with leaders Arsenal. 

He wrote: "Last Friday at Leeds United was a tough night and one we need to make sure we learn from, quickly. We knew it would be a difficult game and that we’d face tough moments during the 90 minutes, but we conceded poor goals at crucial times that ended up costing us.

"We don’t get carried away when we have really good results, and the same applies after a disappointing performance. It’s about continuing to work hard, learn and endeavour to be better the next time we have a game.

"Fortunately, we haven’t had to wait too long to get back out there. I know all of us, the players, the staff, and you supporters are determined to see a reaction this evening. Our intention is to play with intensity, to fight for every ball and make it a really difficult night for the opposition.

"The team will, as ever, benefit from your continued support under the lights at the City Ground. Let’s make it a good one."

Forest are now three points ahead of a resurgent West Ham, although they also face a Europa League challenge, as they will play Fenerbahce in a two-legged play-off, before starting their Premier League fixtures under a new manager with a clash with Liverpool. 

Dyche hit out at "lies" after their draw with Wolves, saying: "The lies are probably a story of modernism in football, and the way that it's changing. I'm not defending it, I'm just saying that's a life thing, life is changing.

"The way that football, the demand is getting higher and higher and higher. We lost one in six, and if we were sitting in mid-table and everyone said, that's a good run, because we didn't beat Wolves, everyone said I should go. This is just modern management, this is the way it is now, the demand is changing rapidly."

Pereira will hope to get Forest up and running quickly as they aim to move away from trouble, with relegation spelling disaster for the club's finances and overall structure.