I saw £17m Nottingham Forest star showcase exactly why one player has become surplus under Nuno Espirito Santo

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Nottingham Forest drew 0-0 with Arsenal at the City Ground on Wednesday night as the team bounced back from two successive Premier League games.

Forest impressed Martin O’Neill with their defensive solidity and it does feel as though people are starting to take the team’s European push more seriously as the season gets to the business end.

There were a number of top Forest performances against Arsenal. Nikola Milenkovic raved about Murillo, whilst Matz Sels, Nicolas Dominguez and Callum Hudson-Odoi also did extremely well.

Nuno Espirito Santo silenced Martin Keown with some comments and overall it proved to be a pretty successful night for Forest who were desperate to bounce back from two straight defeats.

It was Murillo who was awarded the Player of the Match accolade against Arsenal. However, one other player shone throughout the clash and highlighted exactly why he’s earned the trust of the Forest head coach.

• READ MORE: Chris Wood picks the Nottingham Forest player who he likes playing alongside the most

Neco Williams shows why Alex Moreno appears surplus at Forest

Since Williams was thrust into the left-back spot ahead of Moreno at Manchester United back in December, the Welsh performer hasn’t looked back, starting all 12 of the Reds’ Premier League games since then.

Williams has made the left-back spot of own and last night against Arsenal he produced a performance that showcased exactly why Moreno hasn’t been able to get a look in for three months.

The 23-year-old came up against boy wonder Ethan Nwaneri and he didn’t disappoint. He didn’t give the Hale End Academy graduate an inch and after a frustrating outing, Mikel Arteta subbed him.

That was largely down to the brilliance of Williams. He was keen to get Nwaneri onto his week foot and even when he did come onto his strongest side, the Welshman was there more often than not to thwart the danger.

Neco Willams stats vs Arsenal

This was a superb outing for Williams and one that he’s grown accustomed to since making that solid appearance in a 3-2 win over Manchester United back in December.

Williams deserves credit for what he’s achieved in recent months. Some had questioned his defensive capabilities at Forest but ultimately, he’s really kicked on and now the £17 million the club paid for him looks like a steal.

Williams is probably the reason that Forest won’t sign Moreno permanently. The Spaniard has been linked with a return to Real Betis and that is perhaps something for him to consider in the summer.

Williams is playing like a player desperate to keep improving and ultimately keep his place in the team. On current form, he could hold down a place in the team for many years to come and long may this resurgence continue.