Nottingham Forest will only have themselves to blame if they are relegated from the Championship next Sunday.

Our colleagues at the Nottingham Post reported over the weekend that the Tricky Trees privately fear that Brentford will follow Huddersfield, who made 10 changes for their defeat to Birmingham, in resting players against Blackburn next week, given their position in the Championship.

The Bees have already secured a top half spot and victory, or a Preston defeat, will ensure the west Londoners finish in the top 10 for a third successive year.

One of the reasons for this fear will have been the breakdown in relationship between Forest boss Mark Warburton and Brentford owner Matthew Benham in 2015.

The Bees supremo felt let down by his former manager and seemed to be pleased when Warburton's Rangers side were beaten by Hibernian as he tweeted a link to a David Gray song; his namesake scored the winner for Hibs.

There has been talk among Brentford fans about naming the B team in order to see Forest go down because of what went on between Warburton and Benham. Aston Villa fans were singing 'Blackburn Rovers, we want you to win' on Saturday because they would like to see second city rivals Birmingham take the drop.

Do I think Brentford will make changes? Yes. Do I think they will play their entire B team? No.

But, whatever side Dean Smith puts out, Forest must simply focus on beating Ipswich, a side who will be finishing in the bottom half of the table.

The Tractor Boys' supporters are fed up with Mick McCarthy and are just desperate for the season to end now.

Dean Smith

If Forest can't do the job on their own terms then they only have themselves to blame if they take the drop come 2pm on Sunday.

I've seen Nottingham Forest three times this season. Against Brentford at Griffin Park they could have rescued a point late on when Britt Assombalonga went clean through in the 90th minute but Dan Bentley made a great save.

Against QPR at The City Ground they bafflingly sat deeper and deeper with a 1-0 lead against 10 men before having Hildeberto Pereira sent off and Rangers rescued a point late on.

They were beaten by the Bees at home with a late comeback that made the game a lot closer than the first 75 minutes.

Saying goodbye: Brentford manager Mark Warburton

I'm quite sure there were other occasions that led to Forest losing points, much like Blackburn and Birmingham who are also in the final day scrap for survival, but those three points they missed out on in those first two games would virtually have ensured safety.

It was in their hands going into their game at QPR on Saturday but they were beaten by the Hoops and now find themselves in a final day fight for survival.

Rather than looking for excuses or other clubs to worry about, Forest, and Birmingham for that matter, should just focus on what they do rather than what is going on at Griffin Park.

After 46 games, you pretty much end up in the position you deserve to be.