The extent of Forest’s current injury list was reflected in manager Sean Dyche bringing an actual list to his pre-match media briefing.
One of that number could return: Callum Hudson-Odoi, the scorer of the only goal in this fixture last season.
“[He] has made good progress, he has been on the grass with us this week, so he is certainly in consideration to be in the squad. So, that’s better news,” said Dyche on Thursday afternoon.
“He’s around it. If today’s gone well and he feels OK, tomorrow goes well, at least we can think about him being back in the fold, in the group, so that will be a positive.”
Dyche, who was appointed as Forest’s third boss in this campaign a month ago, does not anticipate any other of his sidelined players to be ready, however.
“Chris Wood is getting re-scanned so we’re checking up on that. But it’s good news so far, that’s just part of the process. There’s nothing untoward about that, it’s just a check-up,” he said.
“Douglas Luiz is making progress but he’s going to be a matter of time, it’s not going to be instant.
“Angus Gunn is still recovering from a knee injury; again, sort of straightforward but going to take a bit of time.
“Dilane Bakwa is making good progress, he is on the grass but not with us. He’s just with the medical side and the sports science side. Ola Aina is very similar.
“And [Oleksandr] Zinchenko, he’s making progress yet again with the sports science team and the physios, not with us. And young ‘keeper Aaron Bott, he’s making progress but he’s longer term.”
Last match
Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool (November 9): Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Salah, Ekitike.
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Leeds United (November 9): Sels, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Dominguez, Ndoye, Jesus.
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