Lost the ball 17 times, 3/9 duels won… £12.5m Nottingham Forest player was miles off it vs Everton
Nottingham Forest are growing increasingly anxious as their hopes of securing a Champions League spot begin to slip away.
This defeat had been looming from the very beginning.
Everton are far from the dismal side they were in their 2-0 loss to Forest in December. Under David Moyes, they have become more organised and resilient.
It was a well-executed performance from a team with a clear strategy to neutralise Forest’s counter-attacking threat on their home turf, and they succeeded admirably.
From Forest’s point of view, there’s no immediate cause for alarm.
The Reds remain in third place in the Premier League, with six matches still to play. There’s still a chance for them to achieve the unthinkable and clinch a Champions League spot.
However, another defeat raises questions for Nuno Espirito Santo, and now the focus shifts to preparing for a challenging trip to Tottenham.
Alex Moreno’s Disappointing Performance Against Everton
Ola Aina’s absence at the back for Forest was always going to be significant.
The Nigerian, who suffered a calf injury against Manchester United, will hopefully return before the end of the season as the critical phase approaches.
Alex Moreno was given the opportunity to start at left-back, but unfortunately, he looked off the pace.
He struggled to stop many crosses throughout the match and allowed Everton winger Jack Harrison too much space to cause problems down the right.
Moreno is unlikely to remain at Forest next season, as he’s set to return to Aston Villa. It seems almost certain that Forest will target a stronger left-back for the 2025/26 season, and based on his performance here, that seems like a wise decision.
Alex Moreno’s Stats Against Everton
While Moreno has been decent for Forest in his appearances, this was a particularly poor performance.
He failed to cover himself in glory when Murillo was dispossessed in injury time, and his attempt to block a pass from Dwight McNeil was clumsy.
Moreno needs to quickly recover from this display. He will be needed for the rest of the season, and it’s crucial that he recaptures the form he showed when he first joined on loan from Aston Villa.
