Watch Premier League highlights and analysispublished at 11:07 BST
11:07 BST
Pundits Martin Keown and Steph Houghton join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.
'So much to like and admire about rejuvenated Forest'published at 15:59 BST 25 April
15:59 BST 25 April
Adam Cottier BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at The Stadium of Light
Image source, Getty Images
Vitor Pereira appeared to revel in talking about his team's remarkable performance at Sunderland - he had great reason to be so proud.
Broadcasters waiting to speak to him in the interview area after full-time were greeted with a beaming smile and a rich enthusiasm for what he had just seen his side produce.
The Portuguese had high praise his coaching staff - particularly those tasked with organising set pieces - because Forest had been lethal with them in the first half onslaught that saw them take a wrecking ball to a Sunderland defence that could hardly be labelled as weak or ill-prepared.
The variety of executions with the dead ball seemed to outwit Sunderland as Regis le Bris alluded to afterwards. Forest were so potent. Omari Hutchinson sparkled on the wing, Chris Wood made a welcome return to the Premier League goal scoring roster and Morgan Gibbs-White is playing as effectively as any Premier League player at the moment. Such form is breeding confidence in those around him.
Having lost my own mum to illness two years ago, Elliott Anderson's goal pulled at the heart-strings as I am sure it did with many others. There were no boos for this outstanding footballer, formerly of Sunderland's rivals down the road.
There was so much to like and admire about this seminal win for Pereira's team. He's rejuvenated Forest and they are well set now to take on Aston Villa for a place in a European final. They won't be relegated - and that looked a red hot possibility when they switched managers in February.
'It's a nice confidence booster' - Woodpublished at 14:24 BST 25 April
14:24 BST 25 April
Media caption,
Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood said last night's 5-0 win against Sunderland was a "confidence booster" for his side as they battle to avoid a drop down to the Championship.
Wood scored in the thrashing as Forest moved eight points clear of Tottenham in 18th place.
Also, speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham, former Forest defender Brian Laws said he is "more confident than ever" that Vitor Pereira's side will retain their Premier League status this season.
Have a listen to the full interview with Wood above or on BBC Sounds
Lynne: So disappointing! No excuse for such a poor performance. No quality in the team.
Keith: The stuff of nightmares. The game was even till the first goal, but then energy ran out and mistakes crept in. Forest had done their homework and scored three times by good wing play and neat crosses - helped by our shocking marking. At least we showed a bit of fight in the second half. We had a quick and traffic free journey home - everyone else had left long ago! We end the season with a whimper.
James: We've been due this result for a while - have rode our luck for too long. Personally, 5-0 at home should result in a fine for the full squad.
Dave: I'm proud that at 4-0 the fans were in full voice and behind the team. Forest were efficient but we were inept. Played the game like a training drill with no intensity. We aren't ready for the demands of European football. If we had got it we'd be next year's Forest.
Forest fans
Sean: Where to begin? Struggled to score from set-pieces all season, and like a bus three came at once in that first half! Wood is back in the goals, Igor Jesus continues where he left off last week and is there any stopping MGW? Not looking likely. Even when we stepped off in the second half Anderson pops up with a gift of a goal. Rode our luck with the disallowed goal but it didn't affect the outcome. Mathematically still in the relegation fight, but eight points clear and a performance like that against a strong Sunderland side has laid the gauntlet down for Tottenham and West Ham. Dare I say we should only focus on the Europa League semi now?
Martyn: Looks like we've found a way to play. Good old fashioned 4-4-2! Pressed high and capitalised on the mistakes. MGW has become the goalscorer we knew was in there and great to see the whole team fight for each other. Massive result!
Dave: A sublime first half which was followed by an isolated incident of game management in the second in the context of this season. To a man, they played a blinder and credit to the coaches too. A real team performance all round. Whisper it, but we might be all right now.
Soulalways: Fantastic result from my beloved Reds! We should not be down at the foot of the table because we have class players who can win games and trophies. The bad decisions of the past year have landed us in this mess, but we proved we can climb out of it after a great result at Sunderland. Going forward, we have nothing to fear - let’s get out there and beat the rest of the opposition home or away. We still love Nuno at West Ham and I hope they stay up and the spuds go down...that would be justice! COYR!
Is battle to avoid final relegation spot already a two-horse race?published at 11:28 BST 25 April
11:28 BST 25 April
Joe Rindl BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
And then there were two?
Nottingham Forest stunned Sunderland with a sensational 5-0 win on Friday to put some serious distance between themselves and the bottom three.
It moved Vitor Pereira's side on to 39 points, eight clear of 18th-placed Tottenham and six clear of 17th-placed West Ham.
It is 15 years since a team was last relegated from the Premier League with 39 points.
So, with Forest unbeaten in eight games in all competitions, is it time to call the battle to avoid the Premier League's final relegation spot a two-horse race?
Forest boss Pereira was quick to tell BBC Match of the Day that his side's tally "isn't enough" to stay up quite yet.
"We need more points, we need to win more games and we need to keep our mentality," he said.
But is Pereira being needlessly cautious?
Twenty-three teams have been on exactly 39 points after 34 games across Premier League history - and none of them have gone down.
There is a strong argument to be made that Forest, and by extension Leeds on 40 points, already have enough to stay up.
When looking at 38-match seasons the average points tally of the side finishing 18th is 34.5 - so 35 points is, on average, good enough for survival.
And, in even better news for Forest and Leeds fans, over the past five seasons the average points tally for 18th has dropped to 29.6.
Only six teams have ever been relegated from the Premier League with 39 or more points in a 38-game campaign.
The last two were Birmingham and Blackpool, who both went down with 39 in 2010-11.
Mathematically, eight more points ensures next season will be Forest's fifth consecutive campaign in the top flight.
In theory Tottenham could finish on 46 points, but that would require them to win all five of their final five games.
Analysis: Are Forest as good as safe?published at 23:08 BST 24 April
23:08 BST 24 April
Joe Rindl BBC Sport Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The win was Nottingham Forest's biggest win of the season and backed up their 4-1 victory over Burnley last weekend.
Vitor Pereira's side are on a fantastic run at just the right time. They are unbeaten in six league games (three wins and three draws) and have a Europa League semi-final with Aston Villa on the horizon.
They stunned a Sunderland side who have the eighth-best home record this season.
The mood in the East Midlands is significantly more optimistic now than it was on 15 March - when Forest were last dragged into the relegation zone following a West Ham draw against Manchester City.
Pereira's team have since collected 10 points from a possible 12, a run which started with their crucial 3-0 win at relegation rivals Tottenham, and has lifted the club away from danger.
Individually, Morgan Gibbs-White continued his fine form. The England midfielder scored his seventh goal in as many games and also assisted Wood's strike with a clinical pass.
Chris Wood, who has spent most of his season sidelined by a knee injury, scored his first Forest goal since netting two on the opening day of the season.
Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest: What Pereira and Anderson saidpublished at 22:52 BST 24 April
22:52 BST 24 April
Media caption,
Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Five goals, a clean sheet, I'm very happy the players, the supporters, the club and the staff. We deserve it because we played a fantastic first half. Congratulations to the people who do the set plays, they did a great job today. Recover, enjoy just a little bit and be ready for the next challenge.
"We decided to come here and press them because we are fighting for our life. When we are fighting we feel the need to do something, not to wait, we decided to press them and we did it very well and the fantastic goals from set plays.
"The second half was a bit different. Some injuries, some yellow cards, and with yellow cards you cannot be so aggressive on the ball. In the end one more goal, we did not concede, I am happy of course."
On Elliot Anderson's goal: "He makes part of our family. This is the moment to be with him, to support him, to help him every day. He is a fantastic player with a strong, strong character. He is a fighter, a winner and he proved today again he deserves everything."
On Chris Wood's goal: "A fantastic striker. He knows everything about the game. How to hold the ball, how to assist, how to score, how to press, everything. He helped in the defensive set plays. He is a striker who can do everything.
"Morgan [Gibbs-White] also had a fantastic game, Igor [Jesus], Omari [Hutchinson], the defenders, the midfielders too. The speed that we showed, even from the bench, when we do the subs we kept the spirit."
On being eight points clear from the drop zone: "It isn't enough. We need more points, we need to win more games and we need to keep our mentality."
Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson speaking to Sky Sports: "We are on a good run at the minute. It's taken a while but we fully believe in ourselves. The manager is right behind us and we are enjoying it."
On Chris Wood's return to the goals: "It's good to have him back and for him to score. I was speaking to him the other day and he said when you come back from injury and score you get huge confidence, so I'm really happy for him.
On his goal: "Really happy with it, and really happy to score here as well. I just know that my Mum would have been really proud with that one so I'm happy.
Did you know?
In Morgan Gibbs-White (16) and Igor Jesus (15), Nottingham Forest are the only Premier League side to have two players score 15+ goals across all competitions this season.
Nottingham Forest scored four first half goals in a Premier League away game for the first time – the Tricky Trees were the first top-flight side to do so on the road since Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton in December 2024 (5-0).