He was replaced at halftime due to a bad first half performance.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s Nottingham Forest team suffered another Premier League setback against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, following their first three points of 2024 against West Ham United the previous weekend.
The Reds fell behind three goals just 39 minutes into the game, but defender Moussa Niakhate equalized shortly before halftime.
Nuno was clearly dissatisfied with his team’s performance, as the Reds manager made a triple replacement at halftime, replacing centre-backs Felipe and Murillo with Andrew Omobamidele and Harry Toffolo.
Despite another goal in the second period, Unai Emery’s side had already done their damage, with Leon Bailey putting the game out of reach with more than half an hour remaining.
Nuno’s performance was a far cry from the one at the City Ground the previous Saturday, with the Reds made to pay for still more individual errors.
Nottingham Forest stats vs Aston Villa
Yesterday marked the ninth time the Reds have surrendered three or more goals in the Premier League this season, a record only surpassed by Burnley, who have done it 11 times in 26 games.
Forest enjoyed less possession than Villa, as has been the case since their promotion back to the Premier League, with the hosts controlling 58% of the ball to the Reds’ 42%. Counterattacks have been a feature of Forest’s game, with the Reds winning 15 tackles – more than twice as many as Villa – with Nuno’s side able to move fast up the ground.
Forest were under siege for much of the game, with the hosts having more corners, shots, and major chances than the Reds – Emery’s team deserved all three points at Villa Park.
Nuno’s quadruple change at halftime reflected Villa’s first-half domination, with one player in particular having a poor performance in comparison to his typically high standards.
Murillo’s statistics vs Aston Villa.
Murillo has wowed Forest supporters since his summer transfer from Brazilian club Corinthians. However, yesterday was a forgettable day for the 21-year-old, as he was substituted by Nuno during the break.
During his 45-minute stint yesterday, the defense failed to win a single ground or aerial duel, and Murillo received a booking for his troubles.
The £30k-per-week Brazilian also failed to win a single tackle, as the former Corinthians defender was dribbled past twice, including for Ollie Watkins’ opening goal.
It was undoubtedly an off day for Murillo, whose good performances so far at the City Ground have caught the attention of many, and his potential is clear to everyone.
He has the potential to shatter Brennan Johnson’s record exit from Forest in the coming years, but he must remain consistent if he is to continue his progress at the club.
The Forest supporters will be hoping he can make amends for his previous performances on Wednesday night when the Reds meet Manchester United in the fifth round of the Carabao Cup at the City Ground.
