Nottingham Forest will need to be ‘careful’ when they face Brentford on Saturday, according to boss Martin O’Neill.
That was the message from the Reds boss when he spoke to the official website, ahead of the Championship contest this weekend.
Forest have picked up three points from a possible nine in O’Neill’s first three games in charge; with the boss well aware that they need wins in order to say in the play-off picture.
The Reds take on a Brentford side who are below Forest in the table, yet have picked up of late.
Boss Thomas Frank has revived his side’s fortunes after a tricky start to management following the departure of Dean Smith earlier in the season.
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The Bees reached the last 16 of the FA Cup by beating Barnet earlier this week; whilst Frank’s men are on a run of scoring three or more goals in five consecutive games for the first time in the club’s history.
O’Neill has seen his side toil in front of goal lately, drawing a blank in two of his first three games, and knows that his team must improve.
Forest currently sit five points adrift of the top six and the boss is under no illusions to the challenge which he is currently facing.
He told the club’s official website: “There are lots of points to play for.
“We are well into the second half of the season and each game that you play, you want to try and pick up something from the matches while every defeat knocks you back.
“It makes that equation a bit more difficult but we have a number of points to go for and while there is hope that is exactly what we are doing.”
The 66-year-old was also full of praise for the way in which Saturday’s opponents approach matches.
He continued: “I have seen a lot of Brentford and I have enjoyed watching them play over the years. They are a good footballing side and under the previous manager, who has now gone to Aston Villa, they played a delightful style of football.
“They have continued that and I watched them against Barnet and they are still playing well, playing intricate football which is nice to watch and we will have to be careful.”