Steve Cooper’s team selection raised a few quizzical eyebrows when he named his Nottingham Forest side to face Liverpool on Saturday.
But the Reds head coach’s picks proved spot on as a brilliant 1-0 win was secured at the City Ground. Now he faces a dilemma over whether to stick or twist for this weekend’s trip to Arsenal.
A run of nine league games without a victory was ended thanks to a brilliant team display Trentside. For the first time in a while, picking a man of the match was tough.
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Taiwo Awoniyi scored the decisive goal, but significant contributions came across the pitch. Dean Henderson made some stunning saves. Centre-backs Scott McKenna and Steve Cook were rock-like in defence. And the midfield trio were immense.
Following the summer recruitment drive, it has taken Cooper a while to get to know his strongest team. But in recent games players have started to show signs that relationships are developing, while Forest seem to have settled on a formation which works - at least for now, with the focus very much on picking up results in order to climb up the table.
The Reds did change system in the second half against Liverpool, bringing on Joe Worrall to help bolster the back line when Jurgen Klopp turned to Trent Alexander-Arnold to try to get something from the game. Worrall will be doing his best to get back into the XI, as will left-back Renan Lodi, who made his comeback from injury when he replaced Neco Williams. Having registered two clean-sheets on the bounce, however, it would be no surprise if Cooper sticks with the same four-man defence in the capital.
The same might apply in the centre of the pitch. Ryan Yates, Remo Freuler and Cheikhou Kouyate were superb last time out.
Yates has to be one of the first names on the team-sheet at the minute, while Freuler continues to improve. And Saturday was Kouyate’s best performance for the club so far.
It would be difficult to leave any of them out against the Gunners. But Cooper might consider bringing in Orel Mangala, if he does want to mix things up.
The summer signing was on the bench at the weekend, having made his first start since recovering from a hamstring injury in the midweek 0-0 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion. The short turnaround between the two games might have contributed to that decision, but his match sharpness has certainly been building up. It also remains to be seen whether Lewis O’Brien is available for Sunday, having been sidelined due to illness.
Meanwhile, there is a decision to be made in attack. Awoniyi made a big difference up front, providing Forest with a focal point and showing good instincts to net his third goal of the campaign.
Brennan Johnson had missed out on the XI, with Awoniyi being supported by Jesse Lingard and Morgan Gibbs-White. But the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate did make an impact as a substitute, and could have got on the scoresheet himself.
Predicted Forest XI: Henderson; Aurier, Cook, McKenna, Williams; Kouyate, Yates, Freuler; Lingard, Awoniyi, Gibbs-White.
How should Forest line up against Arsenal? Have your say in the comments below
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