By admin 
Moussa Niakhate played well against Aston Villa on Sunday, but he hasn’t been able to secure a regular starting spot since his dismissal against Brentford.
At the center of defense, the 27-year-old partnered with Murillo, as Steve Cooper chose to play two left-footers rather than Willy Boly.
But Niakhate’s performance against a team vying for the top four this season demonstrated that the Reds manager made the right choice.
As he contributed to the Reds’ third Premier League clean sheet of the year, Niakhate neutralized the threat posed by dangerous forward Ollie Watkins.
READ: £10 million star should be signed by Nottingham Forest again in January; he left in 2019 – Views
Another outstanding performance by Niakhate
Murillo and Boly have been Cooper’s first-choice center backs for most of the season, and both have made an impression.
However, after Niakhate’s latest display, the Senegalese defender has given Cooper another defensive headache.
The 27-year-old was named the Premier League’s Man of the Match after making eight clearances, winning five duels, and winning four tackles.
In addition, Niakhate completed 17 passes from behind, demonstrating his ability to handle the ball even though he was playing on his weaker defensive side.
The beginning of a fantastic alliance?
The performance on Sunday may have given Forest supporters a glimpse of what could develop into a durable and productive center-back duo in Murillo and Niakhate.
The 27-year-old has suffered from injuries since arriving, which has prevented Niakhate from really building a resume of games played.
The £10 million the Reds paid for the defender in the summer will prove to be a great investment if he stays injury-free.