ENFIELD, ENGLAND - APRIL 9: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, leaves following a press conference ahead of their UEFA Europa League 2024/25 quarter final first leg match at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on April 9, 2025 in Enfield, England. (Footage by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Morgan Gibbs-White receives classy message from £27m player Nottingham Forest sold in 2024
Nottingham Forest were held to a 2-2 draw by Real Betis as the Reds participated in European competition for the first time in 30 years.
Igor Jesus was hailed by Michail Antonio after scoring twice in the first half, and he will be knocking on Ange Postecoglou’s door wanting to start in the Premier League next.
There were some top performances from Forest out in Seville, with Elliot Anderson catching the eye of Joe Cole who was covering the game for TNT Sports.
Morgan Gibbs-White also nabbed a first assist of the season during the game, and after the game, he received a message of support from an unlikely source.
READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou did something surprising during Forest draw
The Nottingham Forest squad ahead of their clash with Real Betis.
Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images
Morgan Gibbs-White receives message from Moussa Niakhate
After last night’s game, a number of players took to Instagram to speak at their pride of playing in Europe for the club.
Gibbs-White was one of them, and he was clearly delighted to get the nod to captain the team with Ryan Yates starting on the bench once again.
The Forest number 10 posted: “Amazing feeling to represent this club in Europe. Support was top!”
Niakhate left Forest permanently in the summer of 2024 for a fee in the region of £27 million and he admitted to Gibbs-White that the Reds deserved more on Wednesday night.
He posted: “You deserved much better today. Amazing performance.”
Morgan Gibbs-White stats vs Real Betis
Since the summer transfer saga involving Gibbs-White and Tottenham, the player’s form has been a little erratic.
However, the Reds captain is still very much a big game player, and he showcased that against Betis.
Morgan Gibbs-White stats vs Real Betis Total
Minutes 90
Assists 1
Touches 37
Pass Accuracy 91%
Possession Lost 11
The number 10 started proceedings on the right, with Postecoglou choosing to go with a three-pronged midfield in Seville.
The tweak worked as Gibbs-White set up Jesus for his first goal of the night, and that will give the head coach something to think about.
There is so much more to come from Gibbs-White this season, and it’s hard to disagree with Niakhate when he says that Forest deserved more against Betis.
Nottingham Forest’s highly anticipated match against Sunderland on September 27, 2025, might see a significant absence in their lineup due to injuries plaguing their squad. One key player who could miss this match is Ola Aina, who’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury since September 13, 2025. Aina’s expected return date is January 27, 2026, which would definitely rule him out of the Sunderland match.
*Injury Updates for Nottingham Forest*
– *Ola Aina*: Hamstring injury, expected return January 27, 2026
– *Nicolás Domínguez*: Knee injury, expected return October 4, 2025
– *Murillo*: Knock injury, expected return September 20, 2025
– *Ibrahim Sangare*: Thigh injury, expected return November 23, 2024 (ruled out for three months)
– *Taiwo Awoniyi*: Hamstring injury
– *Omari Hutchinson*: Hamstring injury
– *Angus Gunn*: Personal reasons
– *Callum Hudson-Odoi*: Hamstring injury and personal reasons¹ ²
*Impact on Nottingham Forest’s Squad*
The absence of these key players will undoubtedly impact Nottingham Forest’s squad depth and strategy. Manager Ange Postecoglou will need to find suitable replacements to fill the gaps left by these injured players. With a congested fixture list, the team’s ability to rotate players and manage their workload will be crucial in maintaining their performance level.
*Upcoming Matches for Nottingham Forest*
Nottingham Forest has a challenging schedule ahead, with matches against top-tier teams. Their ability to cope with injuries and maintain squad depth will be put to the test in the coming weeks.
*Sunderland’s Injury Concerns*
Meanwhile, Sunderland will be without some of their key players, including Habib Diarra, who’s expected to be out for around 10 weeks due to a groin injury requiring surgery. Other injured players include Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin, and Leo Hjelde.³
The match between Nottingham Forest and Sunderland promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to make a statement in the Premier League. Despite the injury concerns, both teams will need to dig deep and find a way to secure a positive result.
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