Gus Poyet has warned Albion the league table counts for little as they aim for a hat-trick of home wins against struggling Nottingham Forest at The Amex today.

The Seagulls had to work hard for last Saturday’s 2-1 victory against next-to-bottom Coventry.

Forest are immediately above Coventry in the relegation zone after Tuesday’s 4-0 mauling at home to Leeds but Poyet regards Steve Cotterill’s side as dangerous opponents.

He told The Argus: “That is the difference between the Championship and the other divisions. The difference between the bottom teams and the top is not as big as maybe in League One or in the Premiership as well.

“They can make you suffer for long periods.

“It’s happened in every game this season so far.

“Bristol City beat Southampton the other day and it was a totally deserved win.

“You don’t see that too much in other divisions, so we need to be very careful."

Albion are seventh, outside the play-offs only on goal difference, following Tuesday’s third win in four at Derby, a run which also includes beating Barnsley at The Amex.

Poyet is not reading too much into the congested table at this stage, with just five points dividing Derby in 16th from Leicester in sixth.

“I wanted to see my team competing in the Championship and we are competing,” he said. “The position is a game, one or two points. It’s too early, there are too many things going on, it’s unpredictable.

“Teams (Leeds) can lose at home and go away and win the next game 4-0. Anything can happen and we are in the middle of that possibility. There is a long way to go, plenty of games to play.”

Former Albion loan signing Cotterill will be eager to avenge a 1-0 home defeat by the Seagulls while in charge of Portsmouth earlier in the season after replacing Steve McClaren at the City Ground.

Poyet said: “Things haven’t gone right for them. They didn’t start well, then they had a better spell, then the manager got the sack, then Cotterill gets in and they got a reaction and now again they are in a bad spell.

“It’s a difficult season for them so far. They have got very good players and players who know the division very well. They are strong and they have got pace, good technique, good delivery and a good goalkeepeer.

“Something is not working and I am sure Cotterill is trying to sort it out the sooner the better. Sometimes you think you know (the problem) and it still doesn’t work. We’ll see what happens. I think on their day they can beat anyone.”