Nottingham Forest's Vitor Pereira faces a critical balancing act as his team prepares for Europa League action against Midtjylland while fighting Premier League survival. The Danish champions, who famously derailed Ange Postecoglou's brief tenure in October with a 3-2 win, now return for the last 16 first leg at the City Ground on March 12.

The Portuguese manager made six changes for Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Fenerbahce, securing a 4-2 aggregate win in the play-off round. With Forest potentially dropping into the Premier League's bottom three if West Ham beats Liverpool, Pereira must carefully manage his squad. His team travels to Brighton on Sunday before hosting Fulham and visiting Tottenham in quick succession.

Forest's turbulent season has already seen three managers, with Pereira becoming the fourth. The club's Europa League campaign offers a distraction from their domestic struggles, but survival in the Premier League remains the priority. Pereira's ability to rotate his squad and maintain momentum in both competitions will be tested as Forest navigates this crucial period. Success against Midtjylland could provide the confidence boost needed for their relegation battle.