The Reds saw David Vaughan red-carded with the scores locked at 1-1 but closed the game out comfortably - and could even have snatched a late winner.

Freedman said: "We didn’t start very well tonight, which is not like us at home. Birmingham took the lead and credit to them - they deserved it. We fought back and went into half-time at one-each, which I think was fair.

"Second half, not a lot happened for us in terms of creativity. We lost our playmaker, which put us down to ten men against a very good Birmingham side. I can see why they’re seventh in the league - they’re very well organised with a goal threat up front in Donaldson.

"Very easily we could have lied down and be beaten but we didn’t - we dug in and took a very good point.”

Vaughan’s impending suspension hits Forest doubly hard after Henri Lansbury suffered a serious ankle injury in their last match.

But Freedman was relieved to see Bojan Jokic make a positive impression in The Reds’ other problem position: left back.

The manager said: "I thought he was immense - one of the best debuts I’ve had as a manager. The tackle he made at the end, I don’t know where it came from - it was wonderful.

"I thought he was mature in his performance - I knew he wouldn’t be fazed, the guy’s had 70 caps, but I was worried about his fitness. He proved me wrong there, standing up in a Championship game against a very quick, counter-attacking side that are going to catch you out at times.”