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The competition for places is keeping everyone at Nottingham Forest motivated as Aitor Karanka’s side look to round off a good week by securing their first back-to-back wins of the season.

That is the message from Ben Osborn who says every player in Karanka’s starting XI know they must be at their best in every game – or risk losing their place.

Karanka is likely to name an unchanged side, or something close to it, as the Reds face Rotherham United at the City Ground, where they will be looking follow up on good performances against Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday.

But, while the Forest boss appreciates the value of consistency, Osborn says the players are also well aware their performances must also remain at a high level, if they want to play, with so many good players currently unable to even earn a place in the matchday squad.

“Every day in training it is so competitive. You know that if you have half a bad game, somebody else will be knocking on the door,” said Osborn. “And you can’t have any complaints if you do miss out, really.

(Image: NFFC)

“Obviously Joe Lolley was hard done by to miss out on the starting line-up in midweek. But he understood. And he came on, off the bench, and made an impact.

“We all have to buy into the situation because, if the team is doing well, then it is good for everyone.”

Osborn, 24, played an integral role as Forest beat the Owls 2-1 to secure a much-needed win, laying on assists for Lewis Grabban and Joao Carvalho.

It was an encouraging all-round team display from the Reds and Osborn hopes they can produce another against the Millers, to round off a positive seven days.

“This is another huge game because, if we can beat them, it will feel like another really positive week. We have just got to take it one step at a time,” said the winger.

“It is going to be a tough game, because they have been in half-decent form, picking up a couple of decent results. It is going to be tough, so we have to go with the same attitude and try to get the three points.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

“I don’t want to jinx us, but I think we had been feeling that (a good run was on the horizon). We were disappointed not to come away with a win at Swansea.

“Then the result against Sheffield Wednesday was massive and we do feel as though something is turning for us, because the way we have been playing has been better, since the Brentford game.

“We have been a lot more aggressive and we just seem to dominate games more. I feel as though there is a run coming.

“The Brentford game was probably a wake-up call or a turning point. We were poor in the first half and, in the second, we did a lot better, when we got in their faces and we started being brave on the ball.

“Now everyone knows what to do. There are no excuses because we have worked on it in training. We just have to keep implementing the right things.”

Osborn feels the performance at Swansea was a key moment, even if it was not enough to secure all three points, with the Reds held to a 0-0 draw.

“It definitely felt like a turning point at Swansea. In the first 20 minutes we just knew that we were dominating,” he said.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

“We were pressing them and keeping them in their half and we started the same in midweek, when they shut up shop, but we still had most of the ball and pressed them when we could.

“We have to do the same against Rotherham, whatever team the gaffer picks – we all have to be at it.

“Then we have to go to Blackburn on the back of a three game unbeaten run – and hopefully with two wins.”