Aitor Karanka was full of praise for Tendayi Darikwa after Nottingham Forest’s goalless draw with Stoke City, saying the right-back “improves every day”. Darikwa has reclaimed his starting place back in the side in recent weeks, featuring in each of Forest’s last six league games after Saidy Janko initially edged him out of the side in September.
Since his return to the starting eleven, The Reds have picked up three wins and two draws from the half a dozen matches, racking up four clean sheets for their troubles. Darikwa has certainly played his part in Forest’ recent success and Karanka is delighted with the progress the 26-year-old is making.
He said to Nottingham Live: “Tendayi improves every day. He knows how difficult it is to play in this team and he is always working to improve. He knows that, if he loses his place in the side, he will have a fight to recover it. So, he is doing well and he is a very good character on and off the pitch. He is always wanting to improve and learn.”
Darikwa has made a total of 44 appearances for Forest since joining the club from Burnley in 2017. The Zimbabwean international, who has three caps for his country, does have stiff competition from Janko for a starting place which means he’s forced to keep his performance levels high.
He was an unused substitute for a run of five games in September and early-October as Karanka gave Janko a chance in the starting eleven, but now he’s the undisputed first-choice and Forest seem all the better for it. The Midlands outfit sit seventh in the Championship table, just one points off the playoff places.
