Nottingham Forest supporters have been handed another major reason for optimism after one of their summer additions produced a performance that left Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison genuinely impressed.

Oliver Glasner’s reign at Forest is already off to a winning start after the Reds secured an entertaining 2-1 victory away at Aston Villa. Liam Delap and Igor Jesus were on the scoresheet as Forest claimed all three points, but it was Delap’s performance that arguably stole the spotlight.

The striker delivered the type of display Forest fans will have been hoping to see when he arrived at the City Ground.

Delap was aggressive, powerful and constantly looking for opportunities to hurt Villa’s defence. His willingness to run into the channels made life extremely uncomfortable for the hosts, while his confidence in front of goal was particularly encouraging.

And when his opportunity arrived, the forward produced a finish that perfectly summed up his performance.

After receiving the ball from distance, Delap wasted no time before unleashing a powerful strike that flew beyond Zion Suzuki and into the net.

It was the kind of goal that immediately caught attention — and Morrison was clearly impressed by what he had witnessed.

The former Premier League striker admitted that Delap’s showing was among the best he had seen from him for quite some time.

Morrison highlighted the difficulties Villa’s experienced defensive pairing faced throughout the game, pointing out that Delap’s combination of strength, movement and directness caused them major problems.

The pundit also praised the mentality behind the striker’s goal.

Rather than hesitating or looking for another option, Delap appeared determined to attack the opportunity and take responsibility himself. That confidence is particularly significant given the difficult period he endured previously in front of goal.

For Forest, however, the performance could be the beginning of something much bigger.

Delap has only made three appearances for the club so far, meaning it would be premature to make sweeping conclusions about his time at the City Ground. Nevertheless, there are already signs that Glasner could be the manager capable of unlocking another level from the 23-year-old.

Morrison believes Forest could be an especially good environment for Delap because of the way Glasner wants his forwards to operate.

The striker is expected to be given freedom to attack spaces, stretch defensive lines and play with the intensity that has become associated with Glasner’s football.

That could be extremely important for a player attempting to establish himself at another Premier League club.

There is also a significant financial element hanging over the move.

Delap’s transfer could eventually cost Forest as much as £50 million if the relevant performance-related conditions are met, meaning there will inevitably be considerable scrutiny on his performances throughout the season.

His goal against Villa, therefore, could prove more important than simply adding another strike to his record.

It gives Forest fans an early glimpse of the player they hope can justify that enormous valuation.

The bigger question now is whether Delap can maintain this level.

If he can consistently combine the physicality Morrison praised with his finishing ability, Forest may have uncovered one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in their squad.

Glasner will certainly hope so.

Forest have already shown under their new manager that they can compete aggressively against Premier League opposition, and a confident Delap could give them another dimension in the final third.

For now, the biggest takeaway is simple: the striker who arrived with plenty of expectations has finally delivered a performance capable of making people sit up and take notice.

And if Morrison’s assessment proves accurate, Forest supporters may have plenty more to celebrate before the season is over.