Duo say Callum looking back at his best for Reds
JENAS AND WRIGHT ARE IMPRESSED WITH WINGER
FORMER Nottingham Forest players Jermaine Jenas and Ian Wright believe winger Callum Hudsonodoi could be back to his best following Nottingham Forest’s victory over Sheffield United.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s team headed into the clash at Bramall Lane with the pressure firmly on after Luton Town’s draw against Everton on Friday night. The Reds got off to the worst possible start, too, as former player Ben Breretondiaz opened the scoring from the penalty spot.
However, Forest managed to recover and were level thanks to Hudson-odoi’s impressive curling effort. Ryan Yates scored his first Premier League goal shortly after the restart to put the visitors ahead before the ex-chelsea man added his second of the match 25 minutes from time to move his side three points above the drop zone.
Analysing the result on Match of the Day both Jenas and Wright were in agreement on Hudson-odoi.
Former midfielder Jenas said: “The quality of Hudson-odoi was just there to see.
“So much has been spoken about him. Technically his first goal was an incredible finish. A bit of top spin and the bend to put it in that top corner, it is a real quality finish.
“Every time he came down this left-hand side he was a threat. He was devastated after hitting the post and Morgan Gibbs-white was like: ‘Look, you will get another one,’ and Sheffield United didn’t learn their lessons. He wasn’t going to miss that.
“He had his injuries at Chelsea, his ruptured Achilles, and even at Forest he got off to a slower start. But once he gets those starts everything comes from that.”
Former Arsenal striker Wright added: “You are just hoping he can get a run and Forest stay up.
“If he can get a run, then he can show us what he is really capable of.”
Meanwhile, Blades boss Chris Wilder said Forest’s recent complaints against VAR helped match officials take the “easy decision” not to award his side a key foul during Saturday’s game.
Wilder claimed Ben Brereton Diaz was pushed in the build-up to Yates’ second goal.
Referee Chris Kavanagh did not award a foul and VAR Michael Salisbury did not intervene, while Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo admitted he was “anxious” after Yates’ strike.
But the Reds avoided any more drama, two weeks after launching a scathing attack on VAR and accusing Stuart Attwell of being biased following a 2-0 loss at Everton.
Wilder suggested that situation had influenced the decision.
“It’s a foul isn’t it? He puts two hands in the back, Ben Brereton Diaz doesn’t just fall down,” said Wilder. “He pushes him.
“I will let you put two and two together.
“I think it is a pretty easy, comfort
able decision for everybody to make because of the situation.”
Asked whether he thought the match officials did not want to give a decision against Forest, he said: “I will let you decide on that situation.
“I’m not going to get dragged into that debate.
“A foul is a foul, whether it is a push in any part of the pitch.
“For me it is a foul, people tell me the game has moved on, you could say Ben needs to be stronger, but there is no need for him to go down like that, you can see he has two hands in his back.
“They score from that opportunity, we go 2-1 down.”