Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper hailed Dean Henderson after the Reds defeated Wolves on penalties in the Carabao Cup. Forest won 4-3 after the game had finished 1-1 over the course of 90 minutes.
Henderson was in magnificent form during the night. He made two brilliant saves during the regulation game time and then saved two penalties during the nerve-wracking environment of the shootout.
The on-loan Manchester United star showcased exactly what he’s all about. He has been critiqued by some sections of the fan base this season but some of those comments have been incredibly harsh.
Henderson replaced Brice Samba in the summer. He enjoyed a penalty shootout last season, saving three spot-kicks as Forest defeated Sheffield United in the play-off semi-final.
Anything Brice can do, Henderson can do too, however. On this occasion, the Forest goalkeeper only needed to save two penalties but they were still equally crucial.
After the game, Cooper heaped a huge amount of praise on Henderson. He lauded him for his heroics and picked him out as one of his team that deserved praise.
He told BBC Sport: “We felt ready for the shootout. We did plan and prepare for it with both Dean Henderson and the outfield guys but even with that, it was still a bit of luck of the gods.
“Dean was fantastic in the 90 minutes keeping the ball out of the net and he carried that over to the shootout.”
Cooper hailed Henderson as Forest defeated Wolves
The 25-year-old goalkeeper was absolutely outstanding against Wolves last night. His two saves were magnificent in the first half and his heroics in the penalty shootout were duly noted.
For Henderson, the joy quickly turned to despair. The draw has paired Forest alongside Manchester United and that means that the on-loan goalkeeper won’t be able to play.
Cooper will have to call upon Wayne Hennessey for those two games. The Reds will look to enjoy the clashes with Manchester United and hopefully, the team can put on a show.
Henderson won’t be playing, however. He will be great to have in the dressing room for the semi-finals but he must be absolutely devastated to miss out on such a huge occasion.