Latest Nottingham Forest news as summer signing Murillo makes immediate impact for Reds in Premier League.
When Steve Cooper named Murillo in his Nottingham Forest team to face Brentford it felt like a gamble.
The Brazilian had been impressing in training since his summer move to the City Ground, but it still seemed a bold call to make in an important game. Even more so as his inclusion came as part of a reshuffled back line which also saw Moussa Niakhate switched to left-back.
Murillo hadn’t even been on the bench for the Reds prior to that match. He was young and had been in England little more than a month. Surely it was a risk? He was very highly rated when he put pen to paper for Steve Cooper’s side, but could he really be that good straight away?
There is no doubt the 21-year-old is a superstar in the making. He has made adjusting to the Premier League look easy in his first couple of games, with a nervy opening few minutes against the Bees already long since forgotten.
Confidence oozes from him. As does class. He has got absolutely bags of quality and ability.
He is obviously a very good defender, too. The eye-catching runs and shots might be what attract headlines, but the tackle he made on Keane Lewis-Potter and the goal-line block he made on his debut are just as much a part of his game as pinging passes.
The centre-back is still a little rough around the edges. But that is the exciting part – that he can get even better. He has so much potential
Cooper certainly won’t be getting carried away after just two outings for the defender. He was asked after the draw with Crystal Palace how he can manage fans’ expectations around Murillo after a man of the match performance.
