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Regis Le Bris talks to Sky Sports<\/p>\n
double quotation mark[On the 4-3 defeat at Villa] We tried to impose our ideas at Villa \u2013 it wasn\u2019t easy because they have many good players \u2013 but we tried. It was a tight game and we had the opportunity to win it.<\/p>\n
[On Sunderland\u2019s European hopes] The most important thing is to win games. The first step is to be strong at home. The middle of the table is tight; if you don\u2019t win, you can\u2019t expect anything.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Vitor Pereira talks to Sky Sports<\/p>\n double quotation mark[On Forest\u2019s excellent form] I think we\u2019ve been more consistent mentally and tactically. We\u2019ve had more time to work so the players know what we want better than before.<\/p>\n [On picking Igor Jesus and Chris Wood together] We need to score goals. They are two players who work a lot defensively, which means I can play both of them.<\/p>\n Sunderland are a strong team, especially at home \u2013 very competitive with quality. We need to treat this like a Champions League game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhile no one expected Forest to maintain last season\u2019s performance level, it was inconceivable that they would be flirting with relegation by May,\u201d writes Krishnamoothy V. \u201cDid Forest lose it when they parted with Nuno?\u201d<\/p>\n I think they parted with Nuno because they\u2019d lost it. But I really like Vitor Pereira and Forest have looked a top-half side since he took over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The return fixture at the City Ground helped set the tone for both teams\u2019 seasons.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Read Louise Taylor\u2019s preview<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Team news<\/p>\n Sunderland make two changes, both in defence, to the side that lost 4-3 at Villa Park. Dan Ballard and Trai Hume replace Luke O\u2019Nien and Reinildo.<\/p>\n Forest bring in Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus for Murillo, who has a muscle injury, and Dilane Bakwa. Igor Jesus came off the bench at half-time last weekend, with Forest losing at home to Burnley, and scored the final goal in their 4-1 win. The man who scored the first three, Morgan Gibbs-White, will roam from the left.<\/p>\n Sunderland (4-2-3-1) Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume; Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Diarra, Le Fee; Brobbey.<\/p>\n Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Reinildo, Geertruida, O\u2019Nien, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor, H Jones.<\/p>\n Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1) Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Jair Cunha, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Igor Jesus, Gibbs-White; Wood.<\/p>\n Subs: Ortega, Morata, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Dominguez, Yates, McAtee, Netz, Bakwa.<\/p>\n Referee Darren England.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.59 EDT<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n Friday night, who wants a fight? Not this peaceable Guardianista, that\u2019s for sure, and not Nottingham Forest<\/a>. They\u2019re trying to escape a relegation fight \u2013 and can go a long way towards achieving that if they win at Sunderland tonight.<\/p>\n Forest are 16th in the table, five points clear of Tottenham with five games remaining. This time last year they were fourth, but although the change in Forest\u2019s league position has made things a lot more complicated, their objective is essentially the same: to play Champions League and Premier League<\/a> football next season.<\/p>\n Forest play both legs of their humdinging Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa in the next fortnight. A positive result at the Stadium of Light would allow them to embrace that without worrying about what\u2019s over their shoulder.<\/p>\n At the start of the season, most people agreed that Forest\u2019s opponents were never going to be in a relegation battle come late April. That\u2019s because Sunderland<\/a> were supposed to be long gone by now, with only their parachute for company,. An occasionally flat second half of the season should not obscure a remarkable first season back in the Premier League, one of the best by a promoted team in the past decade.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not over yet. Sunderland start the game in 11th but will move up to eighth \u2013 above Chelsea, the world club champions \u2013 if they win tonight. Who knows, this time next year they might be in a European semi-final themselves.<\/p>\n Kick off 8pm BST.<\/p>\n