Keylor Navas instantly confirmed his class on his Nottingham Forest debut as he helped his new membership to a 1-0 win over Leeds United in a crunch conflict on the backside of the Premier League.
The three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid was a part of Forest’s recruitment drive in January, making a mortgage swap from Paris St Germain, and he produced a string of saves within the first half to maintain Leeds at bay.
He had already saved from Luis Sinisterra by the point Brennan Johnson’s 14th-minute objective put Forest forward after which he stored out Luke Ayling and Willy Gnonto to make sure the three factors.
The win is huge for Forest of their bid to maneuver away from the underside three and they’re now six factors above 18th-placed Everton and should now start to lookup moderately than down after strengthening their squad final month.
Leeds are positively trying over their shoulders as after a seventh recreation with no win they’re out of the underside three on objective distinction alone, with two video games towards Manchester United developing within the subsequent seven days.
They will stay to remorse developing towards Navas on this kind as they squandered good probabilities within the first half, however couldn’t discover that leading edge within the second half.
Navas proved unbeatable on his debut
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Forest loved a busy finish to the switch window as they added three signings on deadline day and introduced in Andre Ayew as a free agent two days later.
Highly embellished goalkeeper Navas was the one starter of these and instantly proved his calibre as he was compelled into an early save.
Sinisterra darted into the penalty and flicked an effort in direction of objective however the former Real Madrid man bought down nicely to maintain it out.
Forest took some time to get going however as soon as they did they quickly went forward.
Morgan Gibbs-White despatched in a free-kick from the precise which went all through to Johnson on the far put up and the Wales worldwide lashed in a low drive from the sting of the realm.
Despite having the benefit, Forest couldn’t take management of the sport and Leeds pushed for an equaliser.
They created two large probabilities inside the area of 5 minutes however couldn’t convert both.
First Sinisterra blazed over Gnonto’s ball again throughout objective from simply six yards out after which Navas got here to Forest’s rescue once more with one other good cease.
Brennan Johnson scored the one objective of the sport
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Gnonto bought in down the left once more and squared a ball to Patrick Bamford, who utterly missed his kick, however it fell invitingly to Ayling on the far put up. However Navas was equal to the shot and palmed it away.
The 36-year-old was being labored onerous and he made one other save on the stroke of half-time to disclaim Gnonto’s fierce shot.
Italy ahead Gnonto was once more inflicting bother for Forest early within the second half, however it was the hosts who had a fantastic likelihood to double their lead.
Gibbs-White despatched Neco Williams via on objective however, after missing the legs to race clear, he in the reduction of on to his left foot and despatched his effort away from the crossbar.
For all of Leeds’ possession they weren’t creating a lot and as an alternative it was Forest who had been having fun with the higher moments in entrance of objective.
A great likelihood to seal the win fell to substitute Sam Surridge with 12 minutes remaining, however he curled over from place inside the realm after being fed by Gibbs-White.
