Paulo Di Canio says Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic literally ‘look the same’ as two Premier League heroes

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Nottingham Forest have enjoyed a sound campaign so far under the stewardship of Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Forest head coach has worked wonders following some meticulous recruitment and some remarkable form at the turn of the year had some outsiders believing the Premier League title could be won.

Liverpool have romped to that crown but Forest and Espirito Santo have deserved their flowers for a quite remarkable campaign in which the best could be yet to come.

Forest go to Wembley later this month for an FA Cup semi-final and are also currently occupying third place in the Premier League table with just seven matches remaining.

Espirito Santo has been praised by Jamie Redknapp and some others have considered the season Forest have experienced up there with what Leicester managed to do during 2015/15.

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Paulo Di Canio says two Forest stars remind him of Premier League heroes

In fairness, comparing Forest’s achievement to Leicester’s is way off. The Foxes did win the title and even if the Reds do make the Champions League, it wouldn’t be as miraculous as that feat.

Di Canio has been speaking with Foot Italia in his home country, however, and the discussion has turned towards the season which Forest are embarking on.

He has singled out the central defensive duo of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic for praise, admitting they remind him of two Leicester title-winning players.

Di Canio said: “”But also Nuno Espirito Santo was good because he had already had two experiences in England. Before Wolverhampton, then he tried Tottenham and it didn’t work. Now in England with this kind of play and quality, we can’t go all up front or play in the back 23, 25 passes in our box. Because it’s dangerous.

“So you have two centre back that are similar for the characteristics to the two that they won with Leicester. Wes Morgan and Robert Huth, if you think about Milenkovic and Murillo they look the same.

“They don’t spend too much time and play with it. They get the ball out. They’re tall and then midfield and play in a wide area, directly, Gibbs-White, go directly and go score a goal and then stay as a unit, strong and solid in the back. They deserve to be top four, because since the start they played this kind of football.”

Milenkovic is undoubtedly the signing of the season

Okay, we’re slightly biased but if there is a better pound-for-pound signing in the Premier League this season than Milenkovic, we’re yet to see them play.

Forest were often hapless defensively last season, with Burnley the only team to concede more goals from set pieces than the Reds.

Milenkovic cost just £12 million and he’s part of the reason that Forest have managed to keep 13 clean sheets this season and kick on in the Premier League.

Together with Murillo, the pair have formed a formidable partnership and as Di Canio rightly says, they don’t overcomplicate defending and how they go about their business.

If Forest do qualify for Europe next season, Milenkovic’s experience will once again be called upon and the centre-back is up the best in his position when it comes to the Premier League this season.