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Vitor Pereira's Message to Nottingham Forest Players Before Liverpool Clash
In a defiant pre-match interview ahead of Nottingham Forest's crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool at the City Ground, new head coach Vitor Pereira delivered a passionate message to his players, emphasizing trust, quality, and relentless ambition to secure survival in the top flight[1][2][3].
Pereira, who replaced Sean Dyche mid-season, spoke glowingly of his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis, built on mutual trust and shared passion for football. "He trusts my work, I trust his personality... In football, we need passion too. I have fire and I have passion," he declared, vowing to give "body and soul" to the club[1]. Forest sit 17th in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone, but Pereira remains unwaveringly confident.
Boosted by a commanding 3-0 Europa League victory over Fenerbahce in his debut—extending his perfect record of never losing a first game (11 wins, 4 draws)—Pereira hailed his squad's quality and expression on the pitch. "I asked them to express themselves... and they did it. They have a lot of quality," he told TNT Sports, urging them to enjoy games with organization and confidence to unlock their potential[3].
Turning focus to Liverpool, Pereira warned of the Premier League's unforgiving nature: "This is a league in which we cannot make mistakes. The mistakes will punish us... In a second you can lose and in a second you can win"[1]. Despite the daunting fixture, he insisted, "Of course I am [confident of staying up]. We will try to win the next match," highlighting the players' ambition and the club's potential[2][3].
Pereira's arrival has sparked a "new manager bounce," with Forest bullish under their fourth boss this season. He prefers focusing on the present and future, dismissing past difficulties from managerial changes, and believes small details will decide their fate against a high-level opponent like Liverpool[1][2]. His fiery rhetoric aims to ignite the squad for what could be a pivotal survival battle.
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