Nottingham Forest defender Riley Harbottle has backed the team to "come through" their Premier League struggles.
The 22-year-old centre-back is currently thriving on loan at Mansfield Town, where he has played every League Two game so far this season. The East Midlands side are fourth in the league and Harbottle is impressing there alongside Forest teammate Will Swan.
While admitting he "fully believes" Steve Cooper and his first team squad will come good, he also opened up on his own situation and the contact he has with staff at Forest - including Cooper.
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“I speak to Forest every couple of weeks, the U23s managers and the first team manager will contact me, and the academy manager will come to the games,” he told the Mansfield Chad.
“A few of the Forest lads and staff are coming down and seeing what we're doing and they are speaking really highly of it. They think a lot of the club to send me and Swanny (fellow Reds loanee Will Swan) both here - it speaks for itself really. I have played with Will since I was about nine or 10 years old, so we have a good friendship.
He added: “The Premier League this year is the hardest it's been, so it was always going to be hard for any team in it this year. But I fully believe with the manager and players there they will come through. It's a good group of lads and they will be fine.
“It is going to be hard with all those new players coming in but we didn't have the squad. But my focus this year is on Mansfield and getting Mansfield promoted.”
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