Four of Nottingham Forest’s summer signings made the starting line-up as head coach Sabri Lamouchi named his team for the opening game of the Championship season.
Arijanet Muric, Alfa Semedo, Tiago Silva and Albert Adomah were all included in a new-look first XI against West Bromwich Albion, while fellow new arrivals Yuri Ribeiro, Rafa Mir and Sammy Ameobi were named among the substitutes.
It looked set to be a 4-2-3-1 formation for Lamouchi’s first match in charge of the Reds, with the club aiming to mount a promotion push in the Championship as a new era got underway on the banks of the Trent.
Manchester City loanee Muric took his place between the posts, with Jordan Smith named as the back-up goalkeeper on the bench.
Following an injury to Tendayi Darikwa on the eve of the campaign, Matty Cash stepped into the right-back role, and there was an immediate return to the team for Joe Worrall, back from a season-long loan at Rangers.
He was set to partner Michael Dawson - who was handed the captain’s armband - in the heart of the defence, with Jack Robinson completing the back four.
Benfica loanee Semedo lined up alongside Ben Watson in the holding midfield roles, with Silva and Adomah joined by Joe Lolley in an attacking trio supporting lone striker Lewis Grabban.
Youngsters Brennan Johnson and Jayden Richardson were among the subs, having been involved with the first-team during pre-season, while Tobias Figueiredo completed the bench. Samba Sow was the only summer signing not to be involved on the opening day, after putting pen to paper earlier in the week.
Forest: Muric, Cash, Worrall, Dawson, Robinson, Semedo, Watson, Lolley, Silva, Adomah, Grabban. Subs: Smith, Ribeiro, Figueiredo, Mir, Ameobi, Johnson, Richardson.
