BBC pundit blown away by ‘outstanding’ Nottingham Forest star who has learned his lesson

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BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has named Nottingham Forest defender Moussa Niakhate in his Team of the Week. The Reds ace was in action as Forest beat Aston Villa 2-0 at the City Ground.

Forest won the game thanks to goals from Ola Aina and Orel Mangala. The two strikes came early in each half and left Villa stunned on each occasion.

Niakhate was handed the chance to start in a back four for Forest, with Murillo as the other centre-back. Together the pair were frightening and managed to stifle Ollie Watkins.

Niakhate named in Team of the Week

This will be a big thing for Forest fans. The ongoing joke among some fans is that BBC and most notably Match of the Day take great pleasure in not giving praise to Forest.

This week, however, Crooks has come up trumps. He’s chosen Forest star Niakhate for his usual Team of the Week column and heaped enormous praise on the defender.

He told BBC Sport: He got himself sent off against Brentford earlier in the season for two clumsy challenges, but since then Moussa Niakhate has learnt important lessons, the first being to only go to ground when absolutely necessary.

“Against a rather self-indulgent Aston Villa, Niakhate was outstanding. If he wasn’t heading the ball clear he was making crucial interceptions and tackles. He’s no Viv Anderson, but he will do.”

Niakhate is a huge player for Forest

The 27-year-old was in solid form at the weekend. This was the Niakhate that Forest hoped they’d signed when they forked out £10 million for him during the summer of 2022.

Niakhate has suffered dreadfully with injuries during his time at Forest. In just over a year on Trentside, he’s torn his hamstring and dislocated his elbow much to his dismay.

Now, he looks to be fit and firing, however, and on Sunday’s showing, he’s a player who is keen to make up for lost time.

Niakhate is a quality defender and Forest are extremely fortunate to have him. The challenge now is for the player to stay fit and keep leading Forest to more wins.