“Ryan Yates is the only player in that squad from the team that got promoted, That can’t happen again, they can’t do what they they have done last summer and season before”- Michael Dawson says Forest must learn and can’t afford to make same mistakes they have in the previous transfer windows

Nottingham Forest took a big step forward in their battle to beat the Premier League drop with a 3-1 win at Sheffield United – but their former defender sent them a stark warning

Michael Dawson has told Nottingham Forest they cannot repeat the mistakes of their previous two summer transfer windows in the wake of their potentially season-defining victory at Sheffield United.

Two goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and one from Ryan Yates saw the Reds come from one-nil down to win 3-1 and leave Bramall Lane with the win that sees them move three points and a vastly superior goal difference clear of Luton Town.

It felt as if Forest took a huge stride towards sealing their Premier League status for another season, and speaking on Sky Sports attention quickly turned to making sure the next campaign isn’t so fraught.

For Dawson that starts with recruitment and avoiding the kind of trolley dash that has seen more than 40 players arrive at the City Ground since promotion.’

The former centre-back was asked what Forest should do this summer, and he said: “Put everyone together again, this is what they cannot do, they have done it over the last two summer transfers. Ryan Yates is the only player in that squad, not team – squad, who’s there from the team that we’ve got promoted.

“That can’t happen again. That is incredible. I mean, what hope do you have as a manager coming in trying to get a team? We see at Chelsea with Mauricio Pochettino it takes time to implement the way you want your players to play, players settling in from all around the world so you have to have a structure.

“And I think with everything this year I don’t see them doing the same as what they have done last summer and the season before that.”