Will Dyche steer Forest away from danger?

Sean Dyche was nominated for January’s Manager of the Month yet the Nottingham Forest boss faces uncertainty over his future.

Forest are assessing their options ahead of Wednesday’s visit of bottom club Wolves and any change – however reluctant – would see a fourth manager at the City Ground this season.

West Ham’s revival under Nuno Espirito Santo – who was sacked by Forest in September – has increased the pressure, with Forest’s lead over the bottom three slowly eroding.

The third-bottom Hammers’ 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Tuesday edged them to within two points of 17th-placed Forest.

The irony would not be lost if Nuno relegated Forest following the falling out with global sporting director Edu and owner Evangelos Marinakis which led to his departure.

It had felt relatively calm at the City Ground until recently, but after the chaos at the start of the season, Nuno’s exit and Ange Postecoglou’s 39-day reign, anything would have been serene.

Forest have never been out of danger but there was at least a sense of stability for a time after Dyche won seven of his first 12 games.

They included a 3-0 win at Liverpool and the 3-0 demolition of Tottenham before Christmas, two of Forest’s best Premier League displays.

However, since beating Spurs they have won two of their last nine top flight games – albeit one was the crucial 2-1 victory at West Ham last month.

That put them seven points clear but it would have been wiped out had the Hammers not conceded Benjamin Sesko’s injury-time leveller at London Stadium.

A five-point lead will be opened up with victory over Wolves and would give Dyche, who took Burnley to Europe in 2017-18 after finishing seventh, further defence against his critics.

It would also give Forest 11 points from the last 18 – hardly a crisis.

From 26 October, when Forest lost 2-0 at Bournemouth in Dyche’s first league game in charge, they have won six, drawn three and lost eight.

Forest have taken just a point less than Leeds – after their 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Tuesday – since Dyche took charge and one more than West Ham, having played a game less.

So why, if the facts suggest a generally positive trend, is the mood turning?

Following the loss to Wrexham, Dyche questioned his players – asking them to look in the mirror – and he is yet to get a fully consistent tune out of an expensively assembled group.

Some of Dyche’s critics on the terraces have labelled him ‘Dycheosaurus’ with supporters losing faith in him and his tactics as the bond he initially had – having come through the Forest academy – wanes.

One seasoned observer commented the eyes told a different story than the facts, with defeats to Braga, Fulham, Everton – twice – Leeds and the FA Cup exit to Wrexham testing fan patience.

However, supporter frustrations are a symptom of a wider problem, opposite number Rob Edwards believes. The Wolves manager has defended Dyche.

“There are not that many sets of supporters that are happy at the moment,” he said. “There’s a lot of anger around.

“I think now you’ve got to win consistently and play well consistently to avoid any sort of criticism.

“It’s really hard to maintain that [challenge at the top] because the big, big, big clubs will always be there and then a couple almost threaten it and can’t quite maintain it because they get picked off for some of the best players.

Dyche has not been helped by injuries with Chris Wood – who played for him at Burnley – unavailable since his appointment.

Last season’s 20-goal top scorer had knee surgery in December with no timeframe given on his recovery.

Matz Sels is also sidelined until March with a groin injury, meaning Forest have used four different goalkeepers in the league this season.

Stefan Ortega made his debut against Leeds after Angus Gunn replaced Sels mid-way through the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Gunn is now in line to play in the Europa League play-off at Fenerbahce next week with just the Scotland international – a free transfer from Norwich – and Sels included in Forest’s European squad.

John Victor is out for the season with a knee injury, having replaced Sels for five games before Christmas. It comes after Sels did not miss a minute last season, en route to winning the Golden Glove with Arsenal’s David Raya.

Key centre-back Murillo has battled hamstring problems, the Leeds defeat the latest game he has missed, while Nicolo Savona has a knee problem.

Yet, despite any mitigating circumstances, Forest have failed to pull clear of the drop and there will always be questions.

However, Dyche came out fighting on Monday, railing against the suggestion his position was uncertain.