Theo Walcott blown away by Nottingham Forest star who will have impressed Sean Dyche

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Nottingham Forest thrashed Tottenham 3-0 at the City Ground as the Reds continued their vast improvement under Sean Dyche.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice during the contest, with Ibrahim Sangare putting the cherry on the cake with a superb long-range goal in his last game before heading off to the African Cup of Nations.

Brennan Johnson returned to Forest in embarrassing fashion, but this game wasn’t about how badly Tottenham played, with the Reds deserving the most credit.

Lots of players were deserving of praise after a Premier League masterclass at the City Ground, with Theo Walcott choosing to single out one Reds star.

• READ MORE: Nottingham Forest player ratings vs Tottenham

Theo Walcott blown away by Nottingham Forest star

Walcott was in the Match of the Day studio to analyse the Forest game, and when going through the highlights, he singled out Ibrahim Sangare for praise.

Dyche also praised Sangare for his efforts, and he’s going to be sorely missed now that he jets off for the African Cup of Nations.

Walcott said on Match of the Day: “Sangare, his runs were a distraction for Tottenham all day. Tottenham were running after shadows at times, his goal, outside of the foot, what a finish and Sean Dyche will be really happy with how he’s started since he came into Nottingham Forest.”

Sangare has been a bit of a slow burner at Forest, but over the past few months stretching into the back end of last season, he’s more than justified his price tag.

Forest need Douglas Luiz to step up

Sangare will be a bad miss, given how well he’s playing, but Douglas Luiz’s return to action might have actually come at a crucial point of the season.

Luiz has been largely brilliant when he’s played, but before Thursday’s 45-minute appearance against Utrecht, the Brazilian hadn’t played since November after hurting his hamstring against Manchester United.

Now, with Ryan Yates out injured until the New Year, this has to be seen as Luiz’s chance to shine and he will sense an opportunity with Sangare now unavailable until after the African Cup of Nations.

As Walcott suggests, Dyche will be so happy with his performances so far since he came to the club and it will be a hammer blow for the head coach to lose his midfield enforcer for a month or so.