Double Nottingham Forest injury scare ahead of Leeds United as Sean Dyche confirms team news
Sean Dyche’s side head to Elland Road on Friday for a Premier League relegation six-pointer against Leeds United.
Nottingham Forest are facing a potential double injury blow ahead of their Friday night trip to Leeds United.
Sean Dyche’s side had lost three players before the second-half of their 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace kicked off last weekend. Neco Williams was sent off for a spectacular goal-line handball on 45 minutes, with Ismaila Sarr scoring the resulting penalty before Forest’s problems worsened at half-time.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels was forced off at half-time with a groin problem while tricky winger Callum Hudson Odoi had to be removed due to a shoulder injury. The latter was spotted after full-time with the injured arm in a sling with both doubtful for the weekend.
“Callum has got a knock on his shoulder,” Dyche told Nottinghamshire Live ahead of Friday’s trip to Leeds. “He landed on it awkwardly. We have had it checked and there's nothing too serious but it is a painful one. We will have to make a decision on that in the next 36 hours in preparation for the game.
“He [Sels] is still a bit sore. We are waiting over the next 48 hours, pre-game, to get some more advice on it. We will take an opinion over the next couple of days before we know more about the length of it [any absence]. We have got a chance, so we will see how it settles.”
Nottingham Forest defender confirmed out for Leeds United
Should Sels fail a late fitness test, he will join back-up goalkeeper John Victor on the sidelines with a potential chance for deadline-day signing Stefan Ortega to make a debut. Fellow late arrival Luca Netz, a left-back, could also start with Williams suspended and Nicolo Savona out injured.
“He [Savona] is in the awkward period of deciding what to do,” Dyche said of the latter. “It is a knee issue; nothing overly serious but it needs managing. They are letting it settle down under the guidance of the specialist. They said it is a seven to 10-day window to let it naturally settle; we will be at the end of that after this weekend.
“We will then know what to do next. If it is settling, we will leave it alone and if it’s not, they will decide whether we need to do anything further. We are waiting on the specialist’s advice. He has said to let it settle before he looks at it again.”
Forest are also set to be without former Whites striker and long-term absentee Chris Wood, who hasn’t featured since October after undergoing knee surgery. Leeds, meanwhile, will have Anton Stach missing following confirmation from Daniel Farke his midfielder has a hip problem.
Lukas Nmecha is also likely to miss out with a hamstring issue while Daniel James is being carefully managed. Farke did reveal that Jaka Bijol could be involved on Friday in a big boost, while fears of a potential broken toe for James Justin have been eased with the versatile defender fit to feature.