11th February 2025
Blackburn Rovers head coach, John Eustace, has expressed his satisfaction with Emmanuel Dennis’ performance on his debut, despite the team’s 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup.
The 27-year-old Super Eagles forward made his first competitive appearance for club and country since April 2024. He was subbed off in the 66th minute, but Eustace was encouraged by the glimpses of talent Dennis showed.
“I thought Emmanuel [Dennis] showed glimpses of what a good player he can be,” Eustace said in his post-match press conference. “Augustus [Kargbo] was really good and exciting, and Yuri did well in his first start. He hasn’t played for a while, so getting 90 minutes in his legs was really pleasing. The goal was to be competitive against a strong team while also giving as many players as possible some vital minutes, and I think we got the balance right.”
Dennis previously played 25 games for Nottingham Forest, scoring twice before falling out of favor. He spent the final six months of last season on loan at Watford before returning to the City Ground. However, he struggled to secure a place under head coach Nuno Espírito Santo and eventually moved to Blackburn Rovers on loan in search of regular playing time.
Now looking to revive his career, Dennis is expected to make his league debut on Wednesday when Blackburn faces West Bromwich Albion in the EFL Championship.
