Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira has confirmed veteran striker Chris Wood is set to make his long-awaited return to the squad this weekend.
It is a development that could have dire consequences for Tottenham Hotspur’s battle against relegation from the Premier League.
The 34-year-old New Zealand international has been sidelined since October following knee surgery, but Pereira revealed on Wednesday that the forward is finally ready to feature.
Nottingham Forest receive injury boost
"Chris Wood will be involved for the first time since October," Pereira confirmed in his pre-match press conference. "He has started to train with the team. He is available for the game. We need to manage him a little bit physically, but he has travelled. It means he is available to be in the game tomorrow."
The timing is far from ideal for Spurs. Last season's Europa League winners have plummeted into a genuine relegation dogfight following a disastrous 2026. Currently sitting 17th in the table, they remain the only side in the division without a league win this calendar year.
A recent 3-0 defeat at the hands of Forest in North London highlighted the fragility of this Spurs defence that now faces the physical threat of Wood against Forest's upcoming opponents.
While Pereira noted the need to manage Wood’s minutes, his presence offers Forest a proven goalscoring option they have lacked. With just 31 goals scored in the league this year, only bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers have found the net less often.
Last season, Wood was the club’s talisman netting 20 goals. With Forest currently sitting 16th, only three points ahead of Spurs, the six-pointer implications are massive.
If Wood can find fitness and his scoring touch quickly, he may well provide the final push needed to secure Forest’s safety, simultaneously nudging Tottenham closer to their first relegation since 1977.
The East Midlands club have a Europa League double-header against FC Porto either side of this weekend's game versus Aston Villa, followed by matches against Burnley, Sunderland, Chelsea and Newcastle in the coming weeks.
