Nottingham Forest fans are buzzing after Gustavo Scarpa made his long-awaited debut in the Premier League.
It was a great night all round for the travelling Reds faithful, who saw their side beat Southampton 1-0 at St Mary's thanks to a Taiwo Awoniyi goal. The three points saw the Reds rise to 15th in the Premier League table and move clear of the relegation zone.
Scarpa, whose move to Forest from Palmeiras on a free transfer was confirmed last month, only got on for 20 minutes, but in that time revealed what he can bring to the Reds' survival fight. He showed a bit of class at times but he was also willing to put in the graft, with six of his 11 touches of the ball coming in his own half.
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One person who has been left mightily impressed by the Brazilian is Forest legend Garry Birtles. The double European Cup winner thinks patience is needed with the 29-year-old while he adapts to the English game, but believes he could become a key component in Steve Cooper's team before the campaign ends.
"I was in Valencia and when he came on he looked different class straight away," Birtles told the Garibaldi Red podcast. "Dropping the shoulder, his awareness is unbelievable, the creative element he brings in the final third could be pivotal for Forest going forward.
"I think it's going to take time, you can't just throw him in at the deep end because he might get found out a little bit. But there are very promising signs and he might just be the missing piece in the jigsaw that could be very good for Forest towards the end of the season."
How did you assess Scarpa's league debut for Forest? Tell us in the comments section
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