Sean Dyche Burnley
Nottingham Forest is grappling with a string of injuries as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures, including a Europa League clash and a Premier League encounter. The team has been hit hard with several key players sidelined, adding to their challenges in maintaining form and securing victories in both domestic and European competitions.
Sean Dyche said: “Douglas Luiz is going to receive treatment. That is not likely to be a quick situation; we are waiting on more news. Callum is hopefully going to be slightly easier. He won’t be for this game, but we will see how it goes for the weekend. The international break is going to be important for a few players, to give them more of a chance to get fit. Woody is making good progress. Fans can watch the game on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel. We are without 11, I think – not just injuries but also some of the lads who couldn’t make this squad list. The Reds host newly-promoted Leeds United in their final game before the international break.”
Dyche continued: “The games are big games for different reasons. This (the Europa League) means a lot to the club, the history of the club and the fans. We are certainly taking it seriously. But we have to look at the next game as well because it is very, very important. The Premier League is your bread and butter at the end of the day. It is the thing the club was striving for for all those years to get back into. It has been a very tough period to sustain what they did last year, that’s quite obvious. It’s about correcting that. We have had good signs, performance wise. But we have got to turn that into wins. But we are thin on numbers, so it’s a risk and reward – playing players in both games, but some players are going to need to play certain segments of both. We will have to wait and see how we can manage it the best we can, depending on the scoreline and everything. They are both big games for different reasons.”
Dyche added: “I’ve never tried to do anything other than fill the bench. I think it’s great experience for the young players. But they do have to be realistic. We don’t just bring kids where it is so far off for them in their own maturing as a player. But the ones who are around the squad and have been doing well in the Under-23s, then we certainly want to get them involved. A number have travelled with us this time. They are not travelling for any other reason than we need them. We haven’t got the fit bodies with us, so therefore we are using every resource we have got.”
The Reds are currently dealing with injuries to key players, including Douglas Luiz and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who were both injured during their recent 2-2 draw with Manchester United. Luiz, who recently returned from a hamstring issue, suffered a recurrence of the problem, while Hudson-Odoi sustained a suspected dead leg. With other players like Chris Wood, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Ola Aina also out, the squad is stretched thin.
The situation has forced Forest to rely on academy players to fill the gaps, especially for their Europa League match against Sturm Graz. The club is also preparing for a crucial Premier League fixture against Leeds United before the international break. Dyche emphasized the importance of managing player fitness and resources effectively during this challenging period, highlighting the risk and reward of fielding players across multiple competitions.
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