Nottingham Forest have a huge couple of months ahead of them, with Sean Dyche tasked with keeping the club in the Premier League come the end of the campaign.
The Reds are currently sitting three points clear of the drop zone, which makes the next 13 games massive for the club’s long-term future as a top-flight outfit.
However, the manager is rapidly becoming a man under huge pressure, after his men fell to a disappointing 3-1 defeat away at relegation rivals Leeds United on Friday.
Wednesday’s clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers is vital for the 54-year-old during his time at the City Ground, which could see the club take a huge stride towards survival.
If Dyche is to secure all three points and survive any possible sack threat, he needs a victory against the bottom side, which should see him avoid a repeat of the call he made in the last encounter.
Why Abbott isn’t to blame for his poor displays at Forest
During Friday’s loss at Leeds, Dyche was forced to shuffle his defensive pack after various injuries and suspensions – subsequently handing a rare start to 19-year-old Zach Abbott.
The centre-back, who’s a product of the Reds’ academy setup, was handed his first Premier League start, but in a somewhat unnatural right-back position.
As a result, the 19-year-old was run ragged for the majority of the encounter, subsequently being unable to deal with Daniel Farke’s side’s attacking threat down his side of the pitch.
However, despite failing to deliver, the manager needs to take the blame for such a call, with the 54-year-old undoubtedly knowing better than chucking a teenager at the deep end in such a pivotal clash.
After such a showing, Abbott no doubt will have damaged confidence, a situation which could have been completely unavoidable given his inexperience in such a role.
The teenager is still a hugely exciting prospect, but Dyche needs to utilise him in his natural position if the player and the club are to see the youngster reach his full potential.
The Forest star who should never play for the club again
Over recent seasons, Forest have spent huge funds to try and improve various areas of the squad, whilst also having options like Abbott, who have developed through the youth ranks.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis has invested over £400m in new additions since promotion back in the summer of 2022, subsequently handing various managers the tools for success.
As part of his spending spree, he’s massively transformed the backline, with Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic, a centre-back partnership which catapulted the Reds to a European finish in 2024/25.
However, there have been times this season in which the former of the duo has been struggling with injuries, which has led to other options being utilised in such a role.
Abbott is one player who is seen as a backup in such a position, but Brazilian defender Morato is another option who has been called upon in 2025/26 to date.
The hierarchy forked out a reported £15m for his signature in the summer of 2024, with the 24-year-old making the move from Benfica to play in the Premier League.
He’s already racked up over half a century of appearances for the Reds, but concerns have started to develop over his lack of positive impact in recent months.
Amid Murillo’s absence, he was handed a start at the heart of the defence against Leeds, but it’s safe to say he was massively unable to match the levels produced by his compatriot.
Morato was certainly at fault for the hosts’ first goal, with his lack of defensive awareness and urgency costing him as Noah Okafor ghosted into the 18-yard box unmarked.
He also only managed to win 25% of the aerial duels he entered, whilst missing a golden chance in the final third, with Forest writer Callum Castel labelling his showing as a “disgrace”.
|
Morato – stats against Leeds |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
90 |
|
Touches |
61 |
|
Pass accuracy |
82% |
|
Possession lost |
9x |
|
Big chances missed |
1 |
|
Long ball accuracy |
29% |
|
Blocks made |
1 |
|
Aerials wo |
25% |
Friday wasn’t the first time he’s come under fire for his performances at the City Ground, with his move to the East Midlands undoubtedly failing to hit the heights many expected.
However, the Reds had the perfect chance to cash in on the 24-year-old in January, but the hierarchy decided to reject an offer of £17m for his signature on deadline day.
Dyche’s continuing faith in the Brazilian is baffling to many, especially given the availability of Jair Cunha and Abbott, with the aforementioned duo undoubtedly bigger talents.
There’s no denying that the defender is miles off the levels needed to stay in the Premier League, which should see the manager select alternative options in Murillo’s absence.
His continued selection at the heart of the defence could have a huge say on the club’s chance to secure survival, with Dyche desperately needing to avoid selecting him in a starting role again.
Nottingham Forest must regret losing “outstanding” Morato & Abbott upgrade
Nottingham Forest must regret not keeping hold of one player who’s reached incredible levels away from the City Ground.
