Sean Dyche and Francesco Farioli both blown away by ‘absolutely incredible’ player in Nottingham Forest win over Porto

Sean Dyche and Francesco Farioli both blown away by ‘absolutely incredible’ player in Nottingham Forest win over Porto

In the electrifying glow of the City Ground, Nottingham Forest ignited their Europa League campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over FC Porto, marking a dream debut for new manager Sean Dyche. But amid the penalty heroics of Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus, it was midfielder Elliot Anderson who emerged as the undisputed star, leaving both Dyche and Porto’s Francesco Farioli utterly blown away by his “absolutely incredible” display. The 23-year-old signed from Newcastle last year orchestrated the midfield with a blend of tenacity, vision, and sheer audacity that turned heads across Europe.

From the opening whistle, Anderson set the tone. Barely 60 seconds in, he unleashed a thunderous volley that skimmed the crossbar, a statement of intent that rattled Porto’s defense. Dyche, the grizzled tactician fresh off his appointment following Ange Postecoglou’s turbulent exit, watched his new charge dominate proceedings. “Elliot was absolutely incredible,” Dyche beamed post-match, his gravelly Lancashire accent laced with rare exuberance. “In just two sessions with us, he’s grasped the system like he’s been here years. That energy, those switches of play—he’s a nightmare for opponents and a dream for me.”

Dyche’s praise wasn’t hyperbole; Anderson’s stats painted a masterpiece. He created seven open-play chances—joint-top in the competition—while winning 13 fouls, the outright leader, and racking up 40 successful passes into the final third.Across the touchline, Farioli, Porto’s innovative young coach who had steered his side to an unbeaten streak of 11 games, found himself outfoxed. The 36-year-old Italian, known for his high-pressing Ajax-inspired system, introduced a triple substitution around the hour mark in a desperate bid to stem the tide. Yet Anderson remained unyielding, his all-action style disrupting Porto’s rhythm and feeding Gibbs-White for the first penalty after Jan Bednarek’s VAR-spotted handball. “Anderson? He’s a force of nature,” Farioli admitted in his presser, shaking his head in disbelief. “We prepared for Forest’s threats, but his intelligence off the ball… absolutely incredible.

He pulled our midfield apart without breaking sweat.” Farioli’s frustration was palpable; Porto, who had conceded just once in their previous six away wins, were pinned back, their possession evaporating under Anderson’s relentless pressing.This wasn’t mere flair; it was tactical mastery. Paired with Douglas Luiz in Dyche’s pragmatic 4-3-3, Anderson dropped deep to shield the back four—Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic thriving in the process—before surging forward to unlock spaces. His synergy with Gibbs-White, who netted the opener, and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left flank created overloads that Porto couldn’t handle. Subbed off late for Ibrahim Sangaré, Anderson departed to a standing ovation, his fingerprints all over a clean sheet that ended Forest’s 10-game winless rut.

For Dyche, a former Forest youth product, this win felt poetic—a homecoming laced with redemption after years of Premier League scraps at Burnley and Everton. “We’ve got liftoff,” he quipped, eyes on upcoming clashes with Bournemouth and Manchester United. Farioli, meanwhile, rued a first league-phase defeat, his side’s perfect start in tatters. Yet both managers converged on one truth: Elliot Anderson isn’t just a player; he’s a phenomenon. In a season of flux for Forest, this “absolutely incredible” talent could be the spark that reignites European dreams. As the City Ground echoed with chants of his name, one thing was clear—Anderson has arrived, and the continent is taking notice.