Steven Gerrard would never swap owners with Steve Cooper but the Aston Villa boss would give a great deal for the love Monday’s opponent enjoys among Nottingham Forest fans.
Cooper’s stunning achievement last season, when he led Forest to the top flight for the first time this century after taking over when they were bottom of the Championship, means it will take more than five straight Premier League defeats for the crowd to turn on him.
The backing given to Cooper by supporters, who chanted his name even as they were sliding to the bottom of the table by losing 4-0 at Leicester last Monday, is thought to have changed the mind of owner Evangelos Marinakis.