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“He was outstanding for Forest in the second half. He was at the centre of everything that Forest did that was good”- Danny Murphy thought £25m Nottingham Forest star was unreal vs Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest were defeated by Aston Villa on Saturday, marking their first loss in six matches across all competitions.
Villa scored twice in quick succession during the first half, with Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malan finding the net within two minutes.
This put Forest in a difficult position, needing a significant effort to salvage anything from the game.
In the second half, Forest fought back, but Jota Silva’s goal proved to be little more than a consolation. Several other chances also went begging, and despite their efforts, the result remained unchanged.
During the match, Jamie Redknapp criticized Morato for adjusting his shin pad while the game was in play, which allowed Rogers to score the opening goal.
However, the main issue was Forest’s poor first-half performance, which left them with plenty to work on ahead of their match against Everton next weekend.
Danny Murphy praises Morgan Gibbs-White as Forest’s standout performer vs Aston Villa
Following the match, Match of the Day provided an insightful analysis of Forest’s performance, with praise reserved for one player in particular.
Danny Murphy commended Forest for their overall play this season but suggested they played into Villa’s hands during the first half.
However, Murphy was full of praise for Gibbs-White, noting his excellent display after the break. He said: “The way Forest were set up in the first half allowed Villa to be so effective.
They were too passive and showed too much respect to the opposition. In the second half, Forest adopted a more aggressive approach, with one-on-one battles across the pitch.
Milenkovic at the back was great, and Gibbs-White was outstanding for Forest. He was at the heart of everything good that Forest did.”
Morgan Gibbs-White’s performance against Aston Villa
The 25-year-old is a key figure for Forest, playing a central role in their attack this season.
Forest must do everything they can to retain Gibbs-White for next season, and qualifying for Europe could play a crucial role in keeping him at the club.
After missing out on England duty last month, Gibbs-White has a point to prove. If he can maintain the level of performance he showed in the second half, Forest will benefit greatly as the season draws to a close.
