Watford boss Tom Cleverley heaped praise on Nottingham Forest loan striker Emmanuel Dennis yesterday. The talisman scored the only goal of the game as the Hornets beat Birmingham in the Championship.
Dennis rejoined Watford on loan from Forest for the remainder of the season during the January transfer window. He spent the first half of 2023/24 with Istanbul Basaksehir but after struggling to make an impression he was recalled.
The 26-year-old scored 10 goals for Watford during the 2021/22 campaign in the Premier League and the fans rate him there. Yesterday, he scored his third goal since returning to Vicarage Road and his manager raved about him.
What Tom Cleverley said about Emmanuel Dennis
Well, it’s good to see that Dennis is settling well during his latest loan spell. Yesterday, his goal ensured that Watford claimed a big three points against relegation-threatened Birmingham.
After Forest loanee Dennis scored the winner, Cleverley explained that he’d been nursing an injury prior to the game – paying tribute to the on-loan striker.
He told the Watford Observer: “We know that Dennis has got that explosive burst.
“As a defender, you can think you’re comfortable on the ball and then he appears from nowhere.
“He’s been nursing a small groin issue, so it was always in my mind that he wasn’t going to complete the game.
“He’s done well to get an hour and score the winning goal.”
Does Dennis have a Forest future?
This is likely to depend on what division Forest find themselves in next season. If it happens to be the Championship, then the Reds could perhaps utilise Dennis.
The Reds haven’t seen the best of the striker yet. In truth, it was a signing made by Forest that didn’t seem to suit the hallmark of a signing that Steve Cooper would fancy.
That was reflected when the previous boss didn’t pick him. In the summer, he did pre-season with the B-Team and it always felt that he’d failed to convince Cooper.
Now, things could be different. Forest paid decent money for Dennis and if relegation can’t be averted, the striker could prove ideal in the Championship next year.
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