What a difference a win makes!

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM AS THE SMILES RETURN TO CITY GROUND

- By SARAH CLAPSON

MAKE no mistake, this was a big win for Nottingham Forest. You could feel it all around the City Ground the second the final whistle went on Sunday afternoon.

A weight was lifted. It was joy, relief and hope all rolled into one. A feeling that things will get better.

The Reds still have some way to go to get themselves out of trouble and a lot of work to do to fully find their groove.

But there have been positive signs under Sean Dyche, and Sunday's 3-1 triumph over Leeds United was testament to that.

Forest needed this one. It has been a long time coming.

Such scenes of players embracing each other on the pitch, soaking in the applause and dancing little jigs with injured teammates before heading down the tunnel have been rare this season.

There will be no getting carried away after a first Premier League win since the opening day of the campaign but this is certainly a building block for Dyche's men.

Here are the big talking points from the Reds' final game before the international break:

SUPER SUBS

Dyche got his changes spot on against Leeds. The second half had gone flat but a triple substitution on the hour mark injected some life into the match.

Omari Hutchinson, Taiwo Awoniyi and Ryan Yates all made a difference from off the bench. It was 1-1 when they were introduced; less than 10 minutes later, the hosts were in front.

It has not been an easy start to life Trentside for Hutchinson. He arrived with a big price tag (£37.5 million) but is yet to start a Premier League fixture and is not in Forest's Europa League squad.

He is young, though, and Dyche has made clear the transfer fee should not concern him.

The Reds boss has also urged the winger to lean on him and his staff, and to recognise his time will come.

On this evidence, the 22-year-old will surely earn more minutes as the season progresses.