After failing to nail down a regular starting place since his dismissal against Brentford, Moussa Niakhate put in a quality display against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The 27-year-old partnered Murillo at the centre of defence, with Steve Cooper opting for two left-footers, instead of Willy Boly.
However, Niakhate proved that the Reds boss made the right decision with his performance against a side pushing for the top four this season.
Niakhate neutralised the threat of dangerous forward Ollie Watkins as he helped preserve the Reds’ third clean sheet in the Premier League this season.
READ: Nottingham Forest should re-sign £10m star in January, he left in 2019 – Opinion
Another brilliant display from Niakhate
For the majority of the campaign, Murillo and Boly have been Cooper’s first-choice centre-backs, with the pair impressing on multiple occasions.
However, after Niakhate’s latest display, the Senegalese defender has given Cooper another defensive headache.
The 27-year-old won four tackles, five duels and made eight clearances as he was awarded the Premier League’s Man of the Match award.
Niakhate also made 17 passes out from the back, showcasing his ball-playing abilities despite playing on his unfavoured side of defence.
The start of a great partnership?
Sunday’s display gave Forest fans a potential insight into what could be a long and successful centre-back pairing of Murillo and Niakhate.
Since his arrival, the 27-year-old has struggled with injuries with Niakhate failing to get a real run of games under his belt.
Should he stay injury-free, the £10 million the Reds paid for the defender last summer will turn out to be an incredible piece of business.
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