Nottingham Forest prepared for their upcoming Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur with uncertainty surrounding the fitness of key players Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi. Both players have been sidelined due to injuries, and their availability for the crucial encounter remained in doubt.
Full-back Ola Aina has been out of action since sustaining a calf injury during Forest’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United earlier this month. Similarly, striker Taiwo Awoniyi has missed the last two matches with a hamstring issue. Neither player participated in the team’s training session on Thursday, raising concerns about their readiness for Monday’s game against Spurs.
Nuno Espirito Santo said: “We have to assess. They were not with the group and are still carrying some problems. We have to assess them. It is going to be day by day.”
Despite the injury concerns, Nottingham Forest benefited from a clear week in their fixture schedule, allowing the team some much-needed rest and recovery time. This break was particularly advantageous for top scorer Chris Wood, who played a full 90 minutes in the previous match but appeared not to be at full fitness.
Nuno Espirito Santo continued: “Of course we have to manage Chris. He has been out for a while. He was unable to play in the previous games because of his injury. The effort was good, but not as good as we want. Now we are positive that on Monday Chris is going to be better.”
The extended rest period provided an opportunity for Forest to recuperate from a demanding schedule, which has seen many players dealing with various fitness issues. The team, currently fourth in the Premier League standings, was overtaken by Newcastle United after the Magpies secured a victory over Crystal Palace.
Nuno Espirito Santo added: “Having the full week is good because we have been facing a tight schedule with a lot of big effort from the players. Many of them are struggling with some situations. A clear week was good for us because more than anything it allowed the players to recover properly – not push them immediately after a big effort. We could give them time to recover.”
As Nottingham Forest gears up for their match against Tottenham, fans and management alike hope for positive news regarding the fitness of Aina and Awoniyi. The team’s performance in this fixture could be pivotal as they aim to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.
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