Nottingham Forest continued their pre-season campaign on Friday with a game against EFL outfit Sunderland in Spain.
The Reds are being put through their paces in warmer climates and a host of English clubs are going to be playing at the Pinatar Stadium.
Shortly after Derby had defeated Stockport 1-0, Forest took on Sunderland in the Friday evening sunshine.
It proved a very useful run out for both teams and the 1-1 draw was pretty entertaining at times.
The Reds once again gave minutes to a number of players across the 90-minute clash and Nuno Espirito Santo might have some food for thought on one player.
Nottingham Forest player could shine under Nuno next season
This was a big moment for Forest player Omar Richards as he appeared in the Garibaldi for the very first time.
The defender signed for the club from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 and he’s endured quite an ordeal.
Richards suffered a hairline fracture of his shin shortly after arriving and was then forced to have a hernia operation in the same season.
Last season he was sent out on loan to Olympiacos and helped the Greek outfit claim glory in the UEFA Conference League.
Now, he’s back at Forest and there is a genuine chance that he can make up for lost time.
Espirito Santo has given a clean slate to a number of players out in Spain. Josh Bowler, Lewis O’Brien and Emmanuel Dennis are all currently with the team.
It was Richards who caught the eye on Friday, however, with the left-back scoring a good goal in the draw.
Forest trailed at the break following Jack Clarke’s penalty but roared back just after the interval.
Richards went on a mazy run before firing into the Sunderland net with emphatic force to restore parity.
Despite a friendly clash, the relief was etched all over the face of Richards and now he has a genuine chance to kick on.
Left-back spot up for grabs at Forest
Richards will feel that he has a genuine chance of grabbing the spot in Nuno’s team at left-back next season.
Ola Aina was the main occupant of the shirt last season and as good as he was, he’s not naturally a left-back.
He could feature at right-back instead and that could pave the way for Richards to come into the team.
Harry Toffolo is also at the club and he’s probably considered a backup option in the eyes of Espirito Santo for next season.
Richards is naturally left-sided and he will be desperate to keep playing for the team who parted with £8.5 million for his services.
He could bring a balance to the defensive unit and his goal against Sunderland showed that he clearly likes to get forward.
It’s hard not to feel some sympathy for Richards and the injury torment he’s been through at Forest.
Clearly, he’s worked hard, however, and hopefully, he can enjoy a run of games in the Forest team this season should he get the nod.
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