Nottingham Forest secured a huge 4-2 victory over Championship table-toppers Leeds United at the City Ground on New Year’s Day.
The win will have given the Forest squad a much-needed confidence boost heading into the second half of the gruelling second tier campaign, in which they’ll be looking to launch a bid for the play-offs.
In the meantime, the win over the Whites will have eased some of the pressure that was building on Forest boss Aitor Karanka. The Spanish coach has Matty Cash to thank for that, as the 21-year-old’s brilliant display inspired his side to victory over Marcelo Bielsa’s in-form outfit.
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Prior to the Leeds clash, Cash had publicly declared his support for Karanka, and the midfielder backed that up with a magnificent display on January 1st.
Cash was full of energy and dynamism against Leeds, and troubled his opponents at both ends of the pitch.
Defensively, the Forest academy product made three tackles and four interceptions. On the ball, and going forwards, he was equally effective. The midfielder was confident and aggressive, completing three successful dribbles and producing one key pass. His tally of 57 touches highlights just how involved in the game he was too.
Cash can be a huge player for Forest this season as they push for promotion to the Premier League. However, if top flight clubs are paying attention to his current form, they may be tempted to offer him a short cut to the first tier this January.
The likes of Southampton, Wolves, Newcastle and West Ham United would all be wise to seriously consider launching bids for Cash this month. More performances like the one he produced against Leeds will only make them more likely to roll the dice on the midfielder, breaking Forest hearts in the process.