Ryan Yates is dreaming of Europa League glory after Nottingham Forest ended their league-stage campaign on a high with a 4-0 thrashing of Ferencvaros. 

Forest finished 13th in the 36-team standings after a stunning display at the City Ground, which saw Igor Jesus score twice and James McAtee net his first goal for the club. 

Bence Otvos' 17th-minute own goal got Sean Dyche's side on their way to another impressive European outing, continuing their fine form in front of their own fans. 

Indeed, for the first time in major European football, Forest have won three consecutive home matches whilst keeping a clean sheet on each occasion.

Overall, Forest have now kept a clean sheet in 12 of their last 14 fixtures on home soil in Europe, a recipe Yates believes can lead the team to silverware this season. 

"Exactly what was needed," Yates said. "We started well on the front foot, this man [Igor Jesus], was as clinical as ever. It was a good night.

"A few changes and we just needed that confidence throughout the group. It's a quick turnround in games and we have to recover well. We put on a good display today.

"We have not backed it up, so we need to do that [in the next game]. We think we can go all the way."

Forest were already assured of a play-off position and knew their hopes of climbing into the top eight were slim, given they needed as many as seven teams above them to drop points.

They will face either Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos in the play-offs, but if their performance here was anything to go by, they will be confident against either of those sides.

They netted four goals in a major European fixture for just the fourth time overall and first time since defeating Grasshopper Club Zurich in the European Cup quarter-finals in 1979, when they lifted club football's most prestigious trophy under Brian Clough.

Two of those goals came from Igor Jesus, who became just the second player in Forest's history to net five or more goals in a major European campaign (six), after Gary Birtles in 1978-79 (six). 

And Dyche echoed the sentiments of Yates in his post-match assessment, insisting that a solid European campaign could be a foundation to build on for his team, who find themselves 17th in the Premier League. 

"It has not been easy through various games, with the schedule, planning, travelling and all that sort of stuff," Dyche added.

"To come out of a disappointing one in Braga and then to deliver that... I am very pleased. I said last time I wanted them to lay a marker down and put constant doubt in my mind.

"It has been very difficult, but I am really pleased, and I am pleased for the supporters as well, that they got to enjoy that."

Dyche reserved particular praise for McAtee, adding: "We have been speaking to him, trying to get him to play with freedom. I thought Dan Ndoye was super sharp tonight, too.

"Some of the games haven't been where he [McAtee] wants to be or where we want him to be. Tonight, he was, and I am pleased for him. He has been putting the work in. 

"In all these games, particularly the Premier League, if your framework is not good, you can get opened up, but it is equally coming off that to play with freedom.

"There have been good signs recently and good signs tonight."