Nottingham Forest confirm Vítor Pereira as fourth head coach of season

Nottingham Forest have appointed Vitor Pereira on an 18-month deal as the 57-year-old becomes the club’s fourth manager of the campaign.

The Portuguese takes over at the City Ground from Sean Dyche, who was sacked on Thursday, and one of his tasks will be to help Forest avoid relegation from the Premier League.

They are 17th in the top flight, three points above the drop zone, after two wins in their last 10 games.

Pereira will take his first training session at Forest on Monday and his first game in charge will be the first leg of the Europa League knockout round play-off tie against his former club Fenerbahce in Turkey on Thursday.

His side will then host Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, 22 February.

The appointment by Forest breaks a record as no club in Premier League history have ever completed a season with four different permanent managers in charge of the club.

Pereira returns for another spell in English football, having been axed by Wolves in November after 11 months in charge.

He follows Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Dyche as Forest manager since September.

They sacked Dyche after being held to a disappointing goalless draw by bottom club Wolves on Wednesday.

Pereira, who won 14 of his 38 games in charge of Wolves and helped them stay up last season, quickly emerged as the preferred replacement, having worked previously under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at Greek club Olympiacos.

He won the title and Greek Cup in 2014-15 in his six months in charge, before leaving for Fenerbahce.

Pereira joined Wolves in December 2024, but was sacked three months ago with the club on two points from their first 10 league matches.

He started his managerial career with Portuguese club Sanjoanense in 2004 and, following spells in Germany, China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, he embarks on his 15th role.

Pereira’s coaching staff will include Filipe Jorge Monteiro Almeida and Luis Miguel Moreira Da Silva being his assistant coaches.

Forest sacked Nuno just three games into the season in September after he declared his relationship with Marinakis had deteriorated, despite finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe last season.

Australian Postecoglou was appointed as his successor but lasted only 39 days after failing to win any of his eight league games in charge – drawing two and losing six.

Dyche’s arrival appeared to bring stability, winning seven of his opening 12 games, but the poor recent run saw Forest fail to pull away from danger, with players unconvinced by his methods.

Several were summoned to see owner Marinakis after the Wolves draw, with opinions also canvassed following Friday’s 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Leeds.

One of the issues under Dyche, who did not have striker Chris Wood available during his tenure because of a knee injury, became the side’s lack of goals.

In the goalless draw with Wolves, Forest had 35 attempts on goal without scoring.

Forest’s 241 shots during Dyche’s 114-day reign placed them ninth in the league, but their overall conversion rate of 8.3% was the third worst in the division.