Nottingham Forest verdict as on-loan Aston Villa defender reacts to Reds’ win over his parent club

Even though there was no fist pumping this time, Alex Moreno’s response to Nottingham Forest’s victory on Saturday was quite telling.

Every time three points are scored, the full-back has assumed the position of conductor-in-chief for the Reds’ full-time celebrations. He enjoys controlling the audience while taunting them with a series of fist pumps.

None of that on this occasion, though. Not against his parent club.

Moreno was ineligible to feature against Aston Villa at the weekend. He is spending the season on loan at the City Ground from the West Midlands side and had to watch from the sidelines as the drama unfolded.

On the banks of the Trent, Forest pulled off an amazing comeback to win 2-1 in a crazy last six minutes. Furthermore, Moreno’s reaction to the outcome seemed important even though he might not have been the center of attention later.

After the players left the field, Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis waited in the tunnel to welcome them, making sure to give each player a hug. As the Greek walked by, Moreno patted him on the back and held his hand.
And while the club media recorded the incident on tape, the Spaniard even flashed a sly smile and winked directly at the camera. He was obviously thrilled with the result.

Add in the fact Moreno has previously said he feels “really happy” at the club and it surely bodes well for him staying put beyond the end of the campaign. After all, Forest have an option to make his switch a permanent one.

The 31-year-old may have to wait a while to get back into the starting lineup. Given that Neco Williams has performed admirably at left-back in the last two games, Nuno Espirito Santo sticking with the Welshman at Brentford on Saturday wouldn’t be shocking.

Before Williams entered the game, Moreno had had a few difficult games. He hadn’t played his best against Manchester City and Arsenal.

Due to ineligibility, Alex Moreno, a defender for Nottingham Forest on loan from Aston Villa, did not play un the game between the two teams. But his response to the Reds’ victory was noteworthy since, in contrast to his normal celebration, he was not seen pumping his fist against his parent club, Aston Villa.

This small act shows a sophisticated awareness of the difficulties of being a player on loan, implying that Moreno’s devotion and affection for Aston Villa may have been temporarily dampened by his professional dedication to Nottingham Forest.