Latest Nottingham Forest news as Nuno Espirito Santo’s Reds prepare to face the Toffees at Goodison Park
Nottingham Forest’s battle for survival is threatening to go down to the wire as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side prepare for a crunch clash this weekend.
The Reds have five games left to beat the drop, starting with a trip to face relegation rivals Everton on Sunday. They will go into that match at Goodison Park on the back of a frustrating 2-2 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nuno will face some big decisions when it comes to his team selection against the Toffees. With that in mind, below is a look at Forest’s injury state of play.
Anthony Elanga
Injury: Knock
What we know: A slight knock ruled the 21-year-old out of the draw with Wolves. However, he is expected to join in training this week with a view to being involved on Merseyside.
What has been said:“I don’t know. I’m not sure,” Nuno said when asked post-match on Saturday if Elanga might be fit to face Everton. “We have to wait and see. Individually they (Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi) are progressing but for today they were not available. Let’s wait for the next one.”
Willy Boly
Injury: Unknown.
What we know: The centre-back had only just returned from a spell on the sidelines but suffered a fresh injury while on international duty last month. He limped off after 36 minutes of Ivory Coast’s 2-2 friendly draw with Benin and has been absent for the Reds since.
What has been said: “He is still on treatment, unfortunately,” Nuno said last week. “We do not know exactly when he is going to return.”
Taiwo Awoniyi
Injury: Thigh.
What we know: Awoniyi has already missed a chunk of the season after having groin surgery in a bid to solve a longstanding problem. He made his comeback in January but Nuno had talked about managing him carefully as he struggled to return to full sharpness.
He suffered a problem in the build-up to the draw with Luton Town which was due to rule him out for a few weeks. The initial diagnosis suggested it was difficult to put an exact timeframe on how long he could be out for, but it was believed he could be absent from anywhere between two to five weeks
He underwent a scan last week, which Forest hoped would provide clarity on when the striker could return. Nuno remains optimistic he will still have a part to play in the run-in.
What has been said: “He is starting his individual programme,” Nuno said last Thursday. “I don’t have an exact timeline for when he is going to return but it is closer. Hopefully he can still help us this season.”
The Reds boss had previously said: “It is a serious injury, unfortunately. It is a big blow for us because he had just come back (from injury). The importance of Taiwo is huge. He gives us another option. I don’t know exactly how long he will be out for but I am positive we are going to see him again this season.”
Leave a Reply