Nottingham Forest vs West Brom: Expectations on rise for big-spending Reds

Aitor Karanka has signed a whole new team already in this window, and considering three new faces are Portuguese attacking players, there have been comparisons made with Albion’s Black Country rivals.

Despite finishing 17th last season, there is hope that Forest can replicate Wolves’ stroll to the title and end a 20-year exile from the top tier for this former European power.

But whether Benfica loanee Diogo Goncalves, £13million attacking midfielder Joao Carvalho, and Monaco loanee Gil Dias can replicate the form of Ruben Neves et al remains to be seen.

Lewis Grabban, who impressed on loan at Villa last season, has also been snapped up from Bournemouth for £6m, and it’s that signing which could prove to be more shrewd.

Forest got their Championship campaign off to a shaky start at Bristol City on Saturday, coming back to draw 1-1 at Ashton Gate after falling behind to an early Andreas Weimann goal.

Daryl Murphy’s equaliser just after the break sparked a much-improved second half performance.

Karanka called it a ‘wake-up call’, perhaps acknowledging that expectations had started to get out of hand after the arrival of Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis in May.

The Forest boss, who won promotion out of this division with former club Middlesbrough, understandably wants his side to continue where they left off tonight.

“I am really excited and looking forward to that game,” said Karanka. “Because of the way we finished the game (in Bristol), I think we realise that we are playing important games now. Every single ball in this league is important. I am really pleased, because the wake-up call was in this game.

“Now I would like to perform in the same way as we did in the second half here.

“I know that will be difficult against a side like West Brom, because it was already going to be difficult to face them – imagine how much more difficult it will be after they have lost to Bolton.

“But if we can play with our quality and our intensity, I am sure people will be happy with what they see from this team.”

Goalscorer Murphy kept Grabban out of the side on Saturday, and the 35-year-old thinks Forest’s competition for places will stand them in good stead this season.

“There is a lot of competition, which is what the manager wanted from the end of last season,” said Murphy. “With everyone fighting for a place in the team, it only makes us stronger.

“Grabbs could have started but the manager chose me and I had to repay that. Thankfully I got on the scoresheet.”

Dangerman: Joao Carvalho

Forest smashed their transfer record to bring the attacking midfielder in from Benfica for north of £13million, but this is a big season for the 21-year-old, who was limited to mainly substitute appearances in Portugal last season. Showed flashes of potential on the opening day that hinted there is more to come.