The legendary Brian Clough once famously insisted “I hope anybody’s not stupid enough to write us off”, as he reflected on the drama of a European Cup semi-final first leg against Cologne.

That quote was uttered during Nottingham Forest’s halcyon days, and the dream to operate in those competitions remains the driving force for the current generation.

After taking four points from Liverpool this season, it would indeed be foolish to dismiss Forest’s hopes of securing a top-four finish, and a long-awaited return to European excursions.

For 98 breathless minutes, Forest underlined why they are far more than just this season’s surprise package on another stirring night at the City Ground.

There is something magical about night matches at this famous old arena, when the floodlights beam back off the River Trent.

Battles between Forest and Liverpool are also the stuff of legend, from those epic showdowns of the late 1970s when Bob Paisley and Clough taught supporters how to dream.

It is now Nuno Espírito Santo who has Forest’s fans thinking big, and declaring noisily that the club is magic on and off the pitch.

Chants regarding next season have recently been tweaked from the Europa League to the Champions League.

Forest were indebted to the heroics of goalkeeper Matz Sels as time began to tick away, but they go into Wednesday in second place and a point ahead of Arsenal.

Manchester City and Chelsea continue to produce weird and wonderful results of the unexpected frequently, so why should Forest not continue to dream?

Arne Slot certainly knows all about Forest now. Last year he lost just one match from 49 with Feyenoord and Liverpool, and that was against Nuno.

Forest’s 1-0 win at Anfield in September is the one blemish on Slot’s excellent CV in the Premier League since taking on the daunting task of succeeding Jürgen Klopp.

His Liverpool team could have won this rematch, as Sels repelled chance after chance in the final stages, but Slot had complimentary words for his opponent.

Indeed, the Liverpool manager claimed Forest deserve to be in the conversation for the title and are there on merit.

“I said before the game that after 20 games you can judge the table much better, if you’re right up there with us and the other teams,” Slot said.

“I don’t think they’re up there because of luck. They have been very hard and difficult to play against for every team.

“They’ve already had a few difficult away games, [Manchester] United away, [Manchester] City away, playing us twice.

“It shows you they are a team that can compete at the top end of the league. I think they have had most of their players until now available for the whole season, I almost always see the same line-up and that is a quality for the [Forest] coaching staff.

“If they can keep the same players on the pitch, I see no reason for them to drop a lot of points because they are a difficult team to play against.”

On Monday, in his pre-match press conference, Slot’s remark that Forest’s impressive season was not such a surprise considering the money spent created quite a stir in this part of the east Midlands.

“Money doesn’t play football, people do,” was the response from Nuno, and here was further evidence that Forest’s success is built more on team spirit and the bond between the city and its supporters.

To be clear, Forest’s starting XI here cost just over £110 million to assemble.

Not bad by Premier League standards, and less than Virgil van Dijk and Alisson combined.

The standout buys include Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic at £10 million apiece, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£3 million) and Ola Aina (free).

Here it was Sels, a £5 million buy from Strasbourg last January, who took centre stage towards the end to lay a decent claim for being the goalkeeper of the season.

The Belgium international’s brilliance enabled Forest to deny Liverpool a revenge victory, and ensured his team remain very much in the mix for a top-four finish.

Forest face bottom club Southampton at home this weekend and have now gone unbeaten in their last eight matches.

There is a feelgood factor all around the club, and Nuno believes his squad are making tangible progress with each passing week.

Surely it would be foolish for anybody to write them off.