Nottingham Forest will give defender Serge Aurier “every chance” of being fit to face Aston Villa on Saturday.
The right-back has missed the last two games after picking up a knock while on international duty with Ivory Coast. He remains a doubt for the trip to Villa Park, where the Reds will attempt to bounce back from their midweek defeat at Leeds United.
Neco Williams had a particularly tough night at Elland Road while filling in for Aurier - as did Harry Toffolo on the opposite flank. As Forest fight for survival, head coach Steve Cooper would love to have as many players available as possible but is wary of taking any fitness risks.
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"It's ongoing,” he said of Aurier. “We're all working hard trying to get any of the players who are managing things available.
“We'll give him every chance to be in the reckoning for Saturday. We'll see how that one goes.”
A late call will be made over attacker Emmanuel Dennis after he was forced off on Tuesday night, while midfielder Ryan Yates remains a doubt with a shoulder problem. The Reds still have a number of long-term absentees but have been boosted by the news Scott McKenna and Dean Henderson are edging closer to returning.
McKenna is back in training, having been sidelined since mid-February with a hamstring issue. Goalkeeper Henderson has been out for even longer with a thigh problem, with January arrival Keylor Navas taking up the spot between the posts in his absence.
"He's getting close. He is out on the grass,” Cooper said of the Manchester United loanee. “Because he had a leg injury, there's obviously the handling stuff he can do, but he has to be careful with distribution and pushing off, diving saves and that sort of stuff.
"He's close to returning. It will be good to have him back in the mix."
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