Alex Moreno of Nottingham Forest
Alex Moreno of Nottingham Forest (Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo decided to give defender Aston Villa loanee Alex Moreno the weekend off in order to recover his energy levels as Nottingham Forest prevailed over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
Spaniard Moreno, who joined Villa in the January window of 2023, was permitted to leave Villa in the summer having fallen behind Lucas Digne and after the acquisition of Ian Maatsen. He secured a move which involved remaining in the Premier League - and in the Midlands - with Forest, and he's played 11 top flight games thus far, including ten starts.
For the first time since arriving, though, Moreno was nowhere to be seen when Forest visited Old Trafford this weekend. Neco Williams, the Welsh international who by trade is a right-back, filled in on the left side of defence ahead of natural left-back Harry Toffolo who Nuno namechecked when asked about Moreno's absence after the game.
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The Portuguese boss, who has guided Forest to fifth in the league, confirmed that Moreno hadn't suffered any setbacks, but that in the defeat to Manchester City in the week he'd exerted plenty of energy levels and, with the clash with parent club Villa next weekend in mind - for which Moreno is ineligible anyway - the decision was made to give this period to Moreno as a break, while bedding in others who'll be needed in the coming game anyway.
"He is not injured. He is totally fine," Nuno told the Nottingham Post. "I will share with you the idea. He played a very hard game against City and went to his limits. We saw he was not in the right moment, so either you bring him and if something happens to your left-back you have to put him in but he is not totally ready. He cannot play against Villa, his parent club, so let's prepare Harry Toffolo in case something happens. I think it makes sense."
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