Nottingham Forest are still having to contend with mixed news on the injury front as they enter the final 10 games of the Premier League season.
Serge Aurier, Ryan Yates and Gustavo Scarpa all missed out on Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, although goalscorer Brennan Johnson completed the 90 minutes after being a doubt. The Reds remain without a number of other long-term absentees, but Taiwo Awoniyi and Cheikhou Kouyate did make their comebacks from long spells on the sidelines in the City Ground stalemate.
Meanwhile, left-back Renan Lodi was on the bench, having returned from Brazil less than 24 hours before kick-off. His replacement, Harry Toffolo, has also been struggling with injury - a factor which contributed to the decision to switch the two in the second half.
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“Serge didn’t make it. Renan only got back in the country at 5 o’clock on Friday, so that was why he wasn’t up for selection,” said head coach Steve Cooper.
“I was really pleased with Harry and his performance. He only came off because he’s actually been injured as well. He’d only trained for a couple of days before, and then there was getting a yellow card against a player like (Adama) Traore…
“It was a straight swap with Renan. I would have done it the other way, if Harry was on the bench.
“Yatesy didn’t make it with his shoulder. But we had some guys back, in Taiwo and Cheikhou.
“I don’t want to dwell too much on the players who aren’t available, but the international break was a mixed bag on player availability. But we deal with it and get on with it.
“Of course, if you have more fit players then it gives you more opportunity to try to win games and to try to make the right changes in games. You look at Wolves’ squad and their bench, it’s high level.
“We’d like to have more players available and more headaches for me to try to get the right team out, but that’s not how it is at the moment. But we’re only looking at things in a positive way.”
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