Head coach Steve Cooper says Nottingham Forest will still be without midfielder Ryan Yates for Saturday’s clash with Manchester City, while Jesse Lingard is also a doubt.
Yates has missed the last four matches due to illness, having been forced off just before half-time of the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth last month. He had also been substituted in the match prior to that, against Leicester City, after taking a whack to the face.
Lingard, meanwhile, was not involved in last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Fulham due to a knee problem. He was an unused substitute in the 1-0 victory over Leeds United, having previously pulled out of the starting XI against former club Manchester United for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final with an Achilles’ issue.
READ MORE: Forest 'expecting' positive Premier League decision after Steve Cook request
READ MORE: Forest supporters hit back at ‘rattled fans’ after Steve Cook squad request
“Yatesy is back training with us now but not at 100 percent, so he won’t be available for the weekend,” said Cooper. “There’s a couple more things we have to do with him before he really gets right at it, which is obviously typical Yatesy style! But we’re hoping he really steps up next week into 100 percent full training.
“Jesse is still nurturing two niggles, his Achilles’ and his knee, that he’s struggled to get rid of completely, and it’s held him back at times. We’re working with him. We’ll see on the weekend or beyond that, we don’t know.”
Forest currently have a lengthy injury list to contend with, and they have this week been hit by the news defenders Scott McKenna and Willy Boly face extended spells on the sidelines with hamstring problems. The pair were forced off after just seven minutes at Craven Cottage and are facing lay-offs of six weeks and three months respectively.
The Reds are also without Dean Henderson (thigh), Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Cheikhou Kouyate (hamstring), Moussa Niakhate (hamstring), Omar Richards (hairline fracture of the leg) and Giulian Biancone (ACL). In light of the injuries to McKenna and Boly, which leaves them short of centre-backs, the club have applied to the Premier League to have Steve Cook reinstated into their 25-man squad after he was left out following the closure of the January transfer window.
How should Forest line up against Man City? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT
