Nottingham Forest have been dealt another injury blow with the news Jesse Lingard faces a spell on the sidelines.
The 30-year-old was forced off in the second half of Tuesday night’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester United, having been wearing heavy strapping on his right thigh. Head coach Steve Cooper said afterwards he hoped it was “fatigue” in Lingard’s hamstring, but the attacker is now expected to be out of action for a month.
The Reds have already been hit hard by injuries - something which will affect their plans for the January transfer window. Omar Richards (hairline fracture of the leg), Giulian Biancone (ACL), Moussa Niakhate and Cheikhou Kouyate (both hamstring) are long-term absentees, while Morgan Gibbs-White made his comeback from a calf problem in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
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Asked if Lingard would be available for Wednesday’s trip to Southampton, Cooper said: “Jesse is out for a month. He has a hamstring injury, so it is as simple as that really.”
Lingard was watching on at the City Ground as Forest came from behind to draw against the Blues. Serge Aurier’s second half strike cancelled out Raheem Sterling’s opener to earn the home side a point.
Cooper has previously said about the impact injuries will have on the club’s transfer business: “You obviously have the best laid intentions going into the transfer windows. The injuries we’ve picked up in recent times adds to the plans, and if we can do some things we think are positive, we will do that.”
After a slow start to the season, Lingard had started to hit his stride for Forest before the World Cup break. And he had picked up from where he left off, scoring his second goal for the Reds in their Carabao Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers.
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