The 'formidable' quality that will leave Nottingham Forest promotion rivals sweating

Nottingham Forest's promotion rivals were sent a firm warning as the Reds continue their surge up the Championship table at Blackpool on Saturday.

The Reds have enjoyed three successive wins in the league and gone unbeaten in their last eight matches to inch closer to the Championship top-six play-off places.

A 4-1 win handed Steve Cooper's side another huge boost in their charge for the play-offs as goals from Philip Zinckernagel, a Brennan Johnson brace and Sam Surridge put the Reds into a commanding position at Bloomfield Road.

Callum Connolly scored a late consolation goal for the home side but it was too little too late for Neil Critchley's side.

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Whilst the Reds remain just a point outside the Championship play-offs - albeit with at least one game in hand over some of their nearest rivals - it is their incredible strength in depth and intense pressing style of play that has received plenty of praise.

The quality that Forest have in abundance was clear at the seaside when Surridge (two Championship goals in eight appearances since signing in January) and Lewis Grabban (12 goals in 28 Championship appearances this season) were both introduced from the substitutes' bench.

"You've got Sam [Surridge] who came off the bench and [Lewis] Grabban who also came on," said former Blackpool boss Ian Holloway on Sky Sports.

"For me they are looking really formidable, but it's more about the pressing that won the ball a lot of the time. They were so crisp on everything they did. To get a team like that after an international break shows there is a hunger there.