Every so often we see a miracle in football.

The best example that always jumps to mind is when Leicester won the Premier League title in 2016. Nobody saw it coming and it will always be used as an example that anything is possible in this beautiful game.

This season the team that seem to be taking inspiration from that are Nottingham Forest. They were considered a big team in Europe 50 years ago when they became back to back European champions. Their absence from the English top flight had been notable in the past couple of decades, but they returned in 2022 after winning the Championship playoff final, and now they’re eying up a place in Europe again.

Forest are currently 3rd in the Premier League table after six straight wins has lifted them to just six points behind leaders Liverpool, and level on points with Arsenal in second. This is a great achievement this far into the season, as the table after Christmas and New Year is never down to luck or results going your way by chance, like it can be at the very start of a season.

Forest have been consistently good, with their quick counter attacks and organised defence being the second-best in the league, only behind Arsenal on fewest goals conceded. Gibbs-White has been a key player, as has Chris Wood who is only two goals away from his tally for the past two season at Forest, with plenty more games to play.

Their attacking force is made of players that like proving people wrong as they advance forward in their career. Elanga came from Man Utd, Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea and Woods from Newcastle, while the coach Nuno moved from Spurs. They were all at great teams that made these individuals leave, and now they’re all showing their worth elsewhere.

They show us that there are more ways to glory than playing for the so-called ‘big’ teams, and they are pushing hard to make us aware by proving their point with passion.

Winning the title would of course not have been a goal set by the club, and even coming away with any European football would be an incredible achievement.

Forest manager Nuno Esperito Santo said “We are trying to build something nice together. We have to enjoy the journey, nothing else matters. The table doesn’t matter. We just keep on going…”

They are not going to get ahead of themselves and will take each game as it comes, but next Tuesday they play Liverpool, and if they could pull off a dramatic win there I think you would have to say they are officially in the title race.