Nottingham Forest returned to winning ways last night after a convincing 3-1 victory over Marco Silva's Fulham side at the City Ground.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White all managed to get on the scoresheet, with the Reds picking up three vital points that saw them move three points clear of the Premier League's relegation zone.
A brilliant header from Tosin Adarabioyo gave the visitors hope for a second comeback in four days, but the Reds held on to secure a much-needed win.
Nuno Espírito Santo's side were without a win since the 17th of February after a 2-0 win against David Moyes' West Ham United, but the dominant performance last night has given fans reason to be positive about potential survival.
One player produced a sensational performance, with the talent needing to feature week in and week out before the end of the campaign.
Danilo's stats against Fulham
After being dropped following the 1-0 defeat away at Brighton and Hove Albion a couple of weeks ago, Brazilian midfielder Danilo was given an opportunity to feature from the start against Fulham last night, with the 22-year-old taking his chance with both hands.
The former Palmeiras man played in a box-to-box role alongside academy graduate Ryan Yates, with Danilo excelling at both ends of the pitch throughout the encounter.
During his 90 minutes, the youngster managed 44 touches, which included 19 successful passes – one of which was a beautifully weighted ball into the path of Gibbs-White, who slotted the ball home for the Reds' third goal.
Despite his brilliant display in possession, the Brazilian was just as impressive defensively, winning 100% of his tackles, making one block and five interceptions, as he played a huge part in maintaining Forest's lead in the second half.
Danilo also won 50% of his ground duels that he contested, with the Reds' number 22 making three clearances – a tally only beaten by Murillo, Andrew Omobamidele and Neco Williams.
Minutes played
90
Shots
2
Touches
44
Successful passes
19/26 (73%)
Tackles
1
Blocks
1
Interceptions
5
Ground duels won
2
The midfielder was given a rating of 8.5/10 by Nottingham Post Forest correspondent Sarah Clapson, with the journalist claiming the Brazilian "covered a lot of ground throughout".
Why Danilo is now undroppable
Given his display against Fulham last night, the 22-year-old – who was "everywhere", according to journalist Callum Castel – has surely staked his claim for a regular starting role under Nuno between now and the end of the season.
His ability to quickly transition defence into attack is a huge asset for the club, especially given the counter-attacking playstyle implemented since promotion back to the Premier League in 2022.
Gibbs-White and fellow Brazilian Murillo are undoubtedly two of the first names on the teamsheet given their impressive campaigns in Forest's disappointing season, the latter attracting interest from sides such as Arsenal and Chelsea who are now keen on the defender, an indication as to how impressive he's been since arriving in English football.
Danilo has started in each one of Nuno's four Premier League wins as Forest boss, with the midfielder evidently a key asset to the head coach and deserving of a consistent starting spot over the coming weeks.
Nottingham Forest star has just made himself as undroppable as Murillo
He produced a brilliant display against Crystal Palace yesterday.
ByEthan LambMar 31, 2024