Pereira replaced Sean Dyche in February to become Forest’s fourth manager of the season, with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou both sacked by October.

It is still possible for him to win the Europa League and get relegated – and if that happened Forest would be playing Champions League football while in the Championship.

They are three points above the relegation zone before Villa’s visit and welcome second-bottom Burnley on 19 April, with Pereira clear of the main goal.

“Of course, the club said to me the priority is to keep the club in in the Premier League,” said the former Wolves boss. “I agree. For the supporters, for everybody, for the club, for everybody. It’s a disaster if we go to the Championship.

“We are competing with West Ham, Tottenham and Leeds and it’s not easy to compete with these kind of clubs.

“If we are not in the Premier League, it will be a disaster and this is a disaster I don’t want to have responsibility for.

“Of course, I want to win [the Europa League]. I had it as an assistant coach. We won the Europe League [with Porto in 2011] but I want to win it as a head coach.

“I want to keep my club in Premier League and to fight to achieve the final.”