Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche was a happy man on Sunday as his team thrashed Tottenham 3-0.
Callum Hudson-Odoi was praised by Troy Deeney after his two-goal haul, whilst Ibrahim Sangare was also a monstrous presence in the midfield engine room.
Dyche has overseen a mini revival at the City Ground since replacing Ange Postecoglou, with his team now sitting five points clear of the relegation zone.
The man who came through the youth team at Forest as a player under the legendary Brian Clough was delighted with his team and singled out one player for praise after the game.
Nottingham Forest hails ‘brilliant’ John Victor after Premier League debut
The surprise name on the team sheet when it was announced was that of Victor, who replaced the injured Matz Sels.
Victor has done okay in the games he’s played in the cup competitions, but he’s also showcased some erratic tendencies.
On Sunday, he wasn’t really tested but did make a very good save from Archie Gray shortly after Forest had taken the lead in the first half.
After the game, Dyche assessed why Sels didn’t play and also found time to praise Victor for his efforts between the posts during his maiden appearance in the top flight.
He told Nottinghamshire Live: “We will wait and see how Sels settles. He certainly has a better chance of playing than if he had today.
“John did brilliant, I have to say. Fair play to him, getting a clean sheet for the team. I’m pleased with him.”
Victor gives Dyche a conundrum
There is no doubting that Sels has a lot of credit in the bank, but it’s fair to say he’s been nowhere near as good this season as he was when he won the Golden Glove in 2024/25.
Dyche now has a decision to make ahead of the game against Fulham next Monday night, with Victor not really deserving to lose his place even if Sels makes a return.
Who should be Sean Dyche’s #1 goalkeeper for the remainder of the season?
John Victor has handed the head coach a conundrum
The Brazilian stopper coped extremely well with a number of crosses into the box and made a few good saves for good measure between the posts.
It’s great that Forest have options within their ranks, and hopefully, Victor can continue pushing Sels even if he does come out of the team for the trip to Craven Cottage next week.
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