Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has praised "brilliant" Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson and believes the youngster's partnership with Joe Lolley is capable of lifting the Reds up the Championship table.
The Reds find themselves second from bottom in the standings, but prepare for the visit of Millwall on Saturday under new management with Steve Cooper having been appointed head coach on Tuesday.
Johnson has proved to be a bright spark amid Forest's troubles in the league, with the 20-year-old contributing a goal and two assists already this season.
Lolley, meanwhile, is slowly getting up to speed and fitness, but played 61 minutes of the Reds' 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town last weekend, their first win of the season.
And Prutton, a former Forest star himself, believes a partnership between Lolley and Johnson could be crucial.
"That's a top 10 if not top six pair of players that can create chances," Prutton said during the latest Garibaldi Red podcast.
"We know what Joe Lolley can do, and the great thing about Joe - having heard him speak about being a professional footballer at Forest - is that he gets it.
"He gets the responsibility, he gets what it means to the people who support the club he is playing for.
"I think the way Brennan plays football is fantastic. I think the interest that he is attracting is a double-edged sword for Forest.
"If he's playing well, that's great, but if somebody in January makes him a Premier League footballer then it makes things different.
"But I think we all know, especially off the back of the pandemic, where football finances stand, but its imperative that to get the best out of players you have the best team-mates around them."
Fellow podcast guest Greg Mitchell added: "He [Lolley] is just one of those players. I don't think he's the quickest - he's nowhere near as quick as Johnson - but the balls he plays are great.
"He can have two or three players around him and still come out with the ball. He is that type of player that when they are firing, playing well, they can do anything whether it is passing or scoring from 20-odd yards.
"So Lolley being fit, healthy and in-form is key to the success of our team this season definitely."
