After the draw with Crystal Palace, Steve Cooper spoke about wanting to get to the point where Nottingham Forest have a settled side.

"In the end, you do want a consistent team which has played together for a while where natural connections have built," he said. "That's what we want to do. But it is a team in transition, for sure."

Cooper is still working on integrating the Reds' summer signings; relationships are still being developed and the group is still gelling. But given the competition for places, players know they must take their chances when they get them.

That is what Murillo has done. And his first two performances in the Premier League have laid down the challenge for some of his teammates.

Had things worked out differently, Moussa Niakhate might have expected to come straight back into the XI after serving his suspension for the red card he received against Brentford. As it stands, he may well find himself on the bench.

That is not simply down to what Murillo has shown, but also the efforts of Harry Toffolo. A case can be made for both retaining their spots - depending on the fitness of Ola Aina.

The dislocated elbow he suffered in pre-season meant Niakhate was used as a substitute early on in the campaign. Manchester City was the first league match where he was included in the line-up, with the Bees clash only his second start.

He was deployed at left-back against Brentford as Cooper was keen to have left-sided players stopping the threat down that flank. A couple of clumsy challenges meant Niakhate's afternoon ended early, while Toffolo came off the bench to grasp his opportunity with both hands. Another strong showing from the former Huddersfield Town man followed at Selhurst Park, and if Aina is still sidelined it might be Toffolo who gets the nod against Luton Town this weekend.

Murillo, meanwhile, was the star of the show in the capital. He had already impressed on his debut the previous week and is clearly a huge talent.

Ousting the 21-year-old from the team is going to take some doing, based on what he has shown so far. It is surely his spot to lose - or until Cooper decides a breather might be right for his development.

At the minute, even Felipe might struggle to get into the side if fit - and that's something few would have predicted after he was one of the standout performers last term. Willy Boly has been outstanding, though, and Murillo has taken to English football with ease. The bar has been set and it is up to others to match it if they want to earn a starting place.

Should Niakhate come back into the Forest XI after suspension? Have your say in the comments below