Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi says he hopes he could welcome back some of his key players for his side’s potentially season-defining match with Stoke City on Wednesday.
Forest go into the game at The City Ground knowing they still need a point to guarantee themselves a place in the Championship play-offs this season, following their last-minute defeat away at Barnsley on Sunday.
Lamouchi had been forced to cope without goalkeeper Brice Samba, right-back Matty Cash and attacking midfielder Joe Lolley for that trip to Oakwell, although it seems there is a chance he will be able to call upon at least some of that trio against the Potters.
Would you use Samba, Cash and Lolley against Stoke?Yes
No |
Discussing his side’s fitness situation ahead of the game, Lamouchi told Nottinghamshire Live: “This is the question mark for me.
“We have a session this afternoon and we will check all the players, but especially who is a small doubt, because it is an important game tomorrow.”
When questioned about whether any of those who have been struggling with injury recently could be available, Lamouchi responded: “I want to say, ‘yes’ – I hope so.”
It would certainly be a big boost for Forest if they could get the likes of Cash, Samba and Lolley back in their side against Stoke.
All three have been impressive for Forest throughout the course of the campaign, and being able to turn to their influence would certainly help Lamouchi in what could be such an important game for his side.
However, with the play-offs potentially on the horizon, Lamouchi may not want to take too big a risk with those key players here, given what would be at stake in those games to come, especially given how the likes of Jordan Smith and Carl Jenkinson have stepped in well for the side in recent matches.
