After a thrilling 3-1 triumph away to already-relegated Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, Nottingham Forest made a big step towards Premier League safety.
Gonzalo Montiel’s unnecessary challenge in the penalty area gave the Reds an early lead, and Ben Brereton Diaz, a former Forest striker, converted the spot kick.
Notwithstanding, Nuno Espírito Santo’s team executed an impressive comeback, as Callum Hudson-Odoi netted twice and Ryan Yates scored his first Premier League goal to give the Reds a crucial three points.
With two games left in the season and a much better goal differential, Nuno’s team is now three points out of the relegation zone. However, they still have to play Burnley, who is now in the drop zone.
But after two players gave a lackluster performance in Yorkshire, Nuno will have to consider his options before the final two games of the 2023–24 season.
The statistics of Chris Wood vs Sheffield United
Striker Chris Wood has had a difficult few weeks despite leading the team in goals scored in the Premier League this season. Against Manchester City, he gave up several easy chances to score.
He met a similar end in yesterday’s match against the Blades, wasting two excellent opportunities that would have extended the Reds’ lead at Bramall Lane.
In addition, Wood’s success percentage in the victory was a dismal 38%, as he was only able to prevail in six out of the 16 duels he engaged in.
Awoniyi, a fellow striker, came back from injury shortly before stoppage time, having missed the previous eight games due to a recurrence of his persistent groin problem.
In the event that the Nigerian is well enough to play, Nuno ought to start the former Union Berlin up front against Chelsea in the hopes that the 26-year-old can replicate his successful end-of-season form in 2022–2023, which included six goals in the final four games, including the game-winning goal against Arsenal that ensured survival.
Even if Wood didn’t do well, one Forest player put on a terrible show; his contract with the Garibaldi Red could be coming to an end this summer.
The statistics of Gonzalo Montiel versus Sheffield United
Defender Montiel came to the City Ground on loan from Sevilla, where he had played during the World Cup. The Argentinean was hoping to establish himself as the starting right-back for the team.
But his performance in Yorkshire yesterday summed up his tenure at Forest thus far, as he failed to impress in his first Premier League start since January 30.
Following the Welshman’s injury-plagued departure from last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City, the 27-year-old took Neco Williams’ position at the start of the game.
It was determined that Montiel had hindered Brereton Diaz, and it was this that gave the home team the opportunity to go ahead early.
As the afternoon wore on, he continued to perform poorly, winning just 25% of the four duels he engaged in and losing possession 14 times.
| Montiel’s stats against Sheffield United | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Tally |
| Minutes played | 83′ |
| Dribbled past | 1x |
| Duels won | 1/4 (25%) |
| Possession lost | 14x |
| Penalties conceded | 1x |
| Passes completed | 31/42 (74%) |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
After that, Nottinghamshire Live reporter Sarah Clapson gave Montiel a 5/10, saying the Forest correspondent thought he presented a “daft” challenge for the host’s opening.
Next weekend, at home against Chelsea, Nuno’s team may secure Premier League survival for the second consecutive year. However, if they are to have any chance of succeeding, the manager ought to consider benching the full-back following his dreadful performance yesterday.
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