Nottingham Forest handed big injury boost as Nuno names team to face Sheffield United
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Sheffield United in this afternoon’s crunch clash.
The Reds go into the crucial match looking to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone. After Luton Town drew with Everton on Friday night, Forest are only out of the bottom three on goal difference with three games to go.
The battle for survival is threatening to go right to the wire. But Nuno’s men can take encouragement from a positive performance in last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
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The Reds came away from that game with some walking wounded. Willy Boly, Murillo and Neco Williams were all forced off with injuries.
The latter is not included in the match squad, but Boly and Murillo both start as Nuno reverts to a back four at Bramall Lane. The Portuguese makes two changes to his starting XI against the Blades, with Gonzalo Montiel and Ryan Yates both in the line-up.
Montiel comes in for Williams at right-back. Boly, Murillo and Ola Aina will make up the four-man defence ahead of goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Yates will line up alongside Danilo in midfield. And with Forest going back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi will provide attacking support for striker Chris Wood.
There is a huge boost for the Reds as front man Taiwo Awoniyi makes his comeback with a place in the bench, while Nicolas Dominguez also returns after missing out last weekend. Matt Turner, Ibrahim Sangare, Cheikhou Kouyate, Harry Toffolo, Moussa Niakhate, Gio Reyna and Divock Origi make up the list of substitutes.
Forest: Sels; Montiel, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood. Subs: Turner, Sangare, Kouyate, Awoniyi, Toffolo, Dominguez, Niakhate, Reyna, Origi.