Nottingham Forest secured another three points at the weekend thanks to a 2-0 win over Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.
The Reds made it five games unbeaten in the Sky Bet Championship thanks to goals from Lewis Grabban and Joe Lolley; much to the delight of boss Aitor Karanka.
It was one of the Spaniard’s more recent recruits that caught the eye; with Claudio Yacob showcasing exactly how good he is with a man of the match performance.
The Argentinean was picked up by the Reds on a free transfer in September and has taken a good couple of months to get his fitness up to scratch
It perhaps came as a surprise that West Bromwich Albion released the 31-year-old in the summer; especially given the ability he has shown in his two starts for Forest to date.
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He made his debut at the start of the month against Sheffield United; looking assured and composed in possession during a 1-0 victory for Forest.
Yesterday in East Yorkshire, Yacob oozed class and looked even better than he did during his previous start.
According to football website Who Scored, the ex-Baggies midfielder had a pass completion success of 86.9%; whilst he also won four aerial battles – a decent amount for a man playing in central midfield.
With promotion the firm objective for the Reds this season, boss Karanka has never hidden from the fact that if good players are available then he will look to bring them in.
Yacob is a prime example of Karanka doing just that. Eyebrows were raised when the Reds landed the former Premier League player; given that the Reds already boasted a plethora of midfielders within their ranks.
Judging by his first two starts, however, it is clear to see why Yacob was added to the squad. The midfielder looks as though he would waltz into any Championship side, already proving his worth.
The partnership of Yacob and Jack Colback was particularly impressive on Saturday; with their midfield rivals now facing a real battle to reclaim spots in Karanka’s team.