Brendan Rodgers’s Celtic won against Simon Grayson’s Sunderland in a pre-season friendly match at the weekend.
The Scottish Premiership giants got the better of Sunderland 5-0 away from home at the Stadium of Light in a pre-season friendly match on Saturday afternoon.
Forrest featured in the game, and the 26-year-old winger played well against the Black Cats, who will feature in the Championship in England this season after getting relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.
Hayes, who is 30 years and also plays as a winger, was impressed with the performance of the Scotland international.
The Republic of Ireland international, who cost Celtic a transfer fee of £1.3 million to sign from Aberdeen in the summer transfer window according to The Express, has said that he was impressed to see Forrest in full flow against Simon Grayson’s Sunderland, and that his teammate is a very underrated player.
“I always said whenever I dropped into left-back at Aberdeen, James was the only player I was worried about doing me for pace on the outside,” Hayes told The Scottish Sun about Forrest.
“Even if you try and make it a foot race he’s got that intelligence to come in and he’s decent on his left foot. He’s got a terrific turn of pace. You saw that in the lead up to my goal against Sunderland.
“Inside, outside, I’ve always been a big admirer of James — and he was outstanding up front. Being a wide player, his movement was really good. He moved the centre halves and midfielders about the pitch.”
“He was outstanding and he is a very underrated player,” added Hayes. “I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves.
“He is a clever player as a winger. He knows when to keep the ball and is of the highest calibre, having been at Celtic for almost a decade.”
Celtic will return to action on Wednesday evening when they take on Rosenborg away from home in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying third round.
The Hoops were held to a goalless draw in the first leg at Celtic Park in Glasgow last week, and they will have their work cut out in Norway.
Ahead of the second leg, goalkeeper Craig Gordon has praised 19-year-old central defender Kristoffer Ajer.
“Kristoffer is a very level headed young lad,” Gordon told The Scottish Sun about Ajer. “He took the game in his stride. I think he’s a good player for the future and he’s still developing as a player.
“Kristoffer came as a midfielder, but now he’s starting to play at centre-back. He’s comfortable on the ball and he’s clever as well, he knows what positions to be in.”
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