Home comfort is once again important for Nottingham Forest as Chris Wood's late header gives the hosts victory

Chris Wood returns home as a Nottingham Forest winner. Credit: Getty Images/DARREN STAPLES Match Recap — Premier League 23/24 — Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United

Nottingham Forest scored 30 of their 38 points at home last season and the City Ground ended up again will prove the difference in the second campaign.

With expectations rising and fireworks taking off into the night sky after the final whistle, Steve Cooper's next challenge will be to build on the past 12 months and keep this club in the division once again. Forest enters their second Premier League campaign in 24 years and Cooper's message was clear: things should be better this time around.

It was a hard-fought but ultimately well-deserved win. replace Chris Wood's header every minute, increasing the feel-good factor in this famous old stadium.

After only four points avoiding relegation last season, Forest are determined to avoid another a disturbing end to this campaign.
Cooper said: “We showed real football in the game, real tactical ideas. We ended up scoring two really good goals.
“It's important to get the first win of the season and that was the main goal. When we start such a game, we must be more ruthless in order to make it more comfortable than it was. Maybe we won't win it last year, so hopefully it's progress.»

Twelve months after last summer's record transfer surge, there has been less activity at Forest this time around and the future of Wales international Brennan Johnson has dominated the agenda. Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and Brentford are all interested in signing the homegrown striker and a sale before the transfer deadline remains a possibility.

Forest insists they will consider offers at more than 50 million pounds, and they will definitely be tested in the next two weeks.
One of last year's rookies, Taiwo Avoni, improved significantly under Cooper and was in the right place to score his second goal of the season. He has scored in the last six games since last season and has become an unlikely talisman. Avoni's goal ended a memorable week when his wife gave birth to a baby boy.

This summer has been a tumultuous one for Sheffield United following their return to the division, but Paul Heckingbottom has been very encouraged despite a second successive defeat.

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With the departure of a number of key players this summer, Heckingbottom will certainly have to cut back on his work, with some cynics even insisting that Derby's record low of 11 points in 2008 can compete.

During the break between halves. here at the City Ground, those cynics reveled after an unsettling 45 minutes of Nottingham Forest dominance against Hackingbottom's team. £15 million. and there was plenty of room for optimism. However, with the visit of champions Manchester City to Bramall Lane next Sunday, the situation does not promise to be any easier.

Hackingbottom said: «It's hard to accept because we don't have points. I understand why, but it's important that the new players that come in know what we're trying to do. There are already a lot of things in the roster that I'm happy with, and we need to add more. I'm not afraid of the fact that we need firepower in the upper part of the field. We're not all right, but we're ready to bring in players.»

Lineups — Premier League 23/24 — Nottingham Forest — Sheffield United