Thomas Tuchel rarely doubts himself but surely even the England manager will have to reconsider his verdict on Morgan Gibbs-White.
Winning the World Cup is not about simply sending the best 11 players on to the pitch. It is about finding those who, when the pressure is at its highest, step forward and deliver.
Now, a semi-final against Spain or Argentina this summer would demand a higher level of performance than a league match against Burnley at home. But as for pressure, this was as hot as it gets – and Gibbs-White responded with a hat-trick in 14 minutes, the first of his career.
Gibbs-White was not included in Tuchel’s recent 35-man squad for the friendlies with Uruguay and Japan and Daily Mail Sport understands the German has never been entirely convinced. There is a perception that Gibbs-White gives the ball away a little too often. If he can produce when it matters, though, a coach can forgive the odd risky pass.
Forest fans will not be worried about that. Their only concern on Sunday is the Premier League table, which now has Forest six points above 18th-placed Tottenham. A win at Sunderland on Friday and Forest can start to plan for their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa with the fear of relegation receding rapidly.
‘(Gibbs-White) is leading by example,’ said Forest boss Vitor Pereira. ‘I know a lot of captains that speak and speak but it proves nothing. He deserves (England) because he has the qualities of a leader. He does not hide. He wants responsibility. Some players don’t want the ball when the team are struggling but Morgan is the opposite.’
Morgan Gibbs-White showed he has the mettle for high-pressure moments ahead of the World Cup
How different this game had looked before Gibbs-White took over. With more than an hour gone, Burnley led 1-0 through Zian Flemming, against a team who had not won at home in the league since December 14.
Forest faced ending the weekend only three points above the bottom three. Supporters had arrived expecting a gimme and the mood in the stands was darkening.
Pereira deserves credit, too. At the start of the second half, he moved Gibbs-White from the No10 role to the left of the attack. Had he still been playing centrally, Gibbs-White would not have been in the spot that led to his first two goals. Instead, he was in the right place at the right time.
In trying to clear Nikola Milenkovic’s header, James Ward-Prowse instead flicked it back into the danger zone. Gibbs-White collected it at the far post and swept it beyond Martin Dubravka.
Then came the second. Omari Hutchinson tricked his way to the byline and lifted the ball to the far post, where Gibbs-White spun and volleyed home. It was an outstanding exhibition of mettle and technique.
The Nottingham Forest captain netted a hat trick to move his side five clear of the drop zone
The third was even better. This time substitute Ryan Yates dug out the cross from the right and Gibbs-White rose unchallenged 12 yards out to plant the perfect header into the far corner. OK, he was unmarked. Even so, all-time great headers of a ball like Cristiano Ronaldo or Ivan Zamorano would have been proud of it. The game had been won by the time substitute Igor Jesus raced on to Nicolas Dominguez’s pass in stoppage time and slid home the fourth.
Burnley boss Scott Parker was booed by the travelling fans and said: ‘I deserve to be booed and get the abuse. It’s hurtful and sad but that’s the reality.
For Burnley, it was another dismal showing as they slide towards the Championship
‘This group has a lot of scars from the season and once the equaliser went in those scars opened. We look seriously weak and vulnerable at this level.’
Three days after the nerve-shredding win over Porto that sent Forest into the semi-finals of the Europa League, supporters arrived in the afternoon sunshine expecting a stroll. Perhaps Forest did, too, which is why their first-half display was so poor.
There was a poignant moment before kick-off as Elliot Anderson, who missed the Porto game following the death of his mother, Helen, laid flowers in the centre-circle. Team-mate Neco Williams did the same with a Forest shirt bearing Anderson’s No8 and the word ‘Mum’. Fans and players applauded together.
Burnley will probably be mathematically relegated this week and they have long been resigned to their fate. Yet before the break, Forest did nothing to trouble them. Scott Parker’s team also carried little threat and when they took the lead, it was because of a Forest mistake.
Under little pressure, Milenkovic headed to Marcus Edwards and when Jaidon Anthony found Quilindschy Hartman, Forest failed to cut out his low, slow cross, which was despatched by Flemming.
In north and east London, they would have loved that. Instead, Gibbs-White rewrote the script and left Tottenham fearing again for their top-flight safety. Gibbs-White has pushed Forest closer to the survival mark – and perhaps booked his place on the plane for North America this summer.
