Nottingham Forest’s Eric Lichaj’s display against Wolverhampton Wanderers could make Stuart Pearce reconsider whether he needs Crystal Palace’s Jack Hunt.
Eric Lichaj’s display for Nottingham Forest against Wolverhampton Wanderers may have convinced Stuart Pearce that securing Jack Hunt’s transfer January is no longer of great importance.
Hunt has impressed while on a loan move from Crystal Palace and Forest are known to be keen on signing the 23-year-old on a permanent deal when his temporary move expires.
The Reds have been locked in discussions with Palace for some time, but Lichaj may have convinced Pearce that he has enough quality to cope without Hunt in the team.
The American full-back was drafted into the Reds’ squad to face Wolves, due to his ability in one-on-one defensive situations, and he performed admirably.
Given the unenviable task of coming up against Bakary Sako, who is arguably the most dangerous winger outside the top flight, he limited the Wolves wide-man’s threat throughout.
Sako barely was involved in the game and that was a major reason why Forest picked up such a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Lichaj defended in a pro-active style and his five interceptions dwarfed the total that Hunt has made, on average, throughout the season so far.
Lichaj vs Wolves
| Tackles won | Interceptions | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Lichaj | 1 | 5 | 1 | 90 |
Jack Hunt average
| Tackles won per game | Interceptions per game | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Hunt | 1 | 1.18 | 16 | 1195 |
It means that Pearce may have a re-think about whether Hunt would even be his first-choice if he was brought back to the club in January and, given that Palace are said to be asking for a sizeable amount of money for the defender, he may feel his budget is better spent elsewhere.
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