Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield at the weekend, and the performance was equally as impressive as the result.
Football basics have become non-negotiable once again under Sean Dyche, and the players appear to be buying into his methods.
Morgan Gibbs-White was outstanding against Liverpool, leading by example, with a host of other players making compelling cases for the Man of the Match accolade.
Forest won courtesy of goals from Gibbs-White, Murillo and Nicolo Savona, but ex-Reds performer James Perch hailed one other player for his efforts at Anfield.
Neco Williams snuffs out Mohamed Salah as Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool
Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
James Perch hails Nottingham Forest star Neco Williams
Perch spent most of his career at Forest playing as a full-back, and as a result, he’s well placed to understand what makes a good player in that position.
Williams was brilliant up against Mohamed Salah on Saturday, and the talk has turned towards where he ranks among the Premier League’s best full-backs.
Perch mentioned Arsenal star Jurrien Timber in comparison to Williams, but believes the Welshman actually has the edge over him in one key area.
He told the Forest Focus podcast: “I love Neco Williams, I don’t think he gets enough credit, he’s that good, he’s a solid 8 out of 10 every game.
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“You put any winger against him, and he puts them in his back pocket, and I think going forward, he’s superb as well.
“He’s done this consistently now for the best part of two seasons. He doesn’t get spoken about half as much as he should do, I think Aina is brilliant too. The only other Premier League full-back who I think is up there with Neco is probably Timber at Arsenal. I love the way he plays, but he doesn’t give the attacking output that Neco does.”
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Timber will naturally get plaudits, but he does play for Arsenal, and as a result, that makes his job a whole lot easier for the Gunners.
Williams has been playing most of this season in a team striving for more confidence, and he’s tried to lift Forest with his fine performances.
Perch is right to suggest that there are not many better in the Premier League than Williams, and he’s a player who has improved no end in the past couple of years.
At 23, Williams has lots of years left ahead of him, and it’s very exciting that Forest have got him tied down to a long-term contract.
Williams will have enjoyed his performance against his former club, and perhaps Liverpool might live to rue letting him go a little bit earlier than perhaps they should.