Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo has broken his silence on one big potential issue he faces ahead of the clash with Manchester United next week.
Manchester United are finally back in Premier League action following the international break and Ruben Amorim will be hoping to continue the positive form from beforehand.
The Reds had positive results and performances against Arsenal, Real Sociedad and Leicester City before club football was halted.
Some players have been given the opportunity to get important rest while others are closing in on returns from injury.
Amorim will need all of the help he can get as United prepare for an extremely difficult run of fixtures which includes two games against Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Espírito Santo breaks silence on Forest issue
Nottingham Forest have enjoyed an impressive season under Nuno Espírito Santo, but they may face a setback ahead of their match against United next week.
Star striker Chris Wood, who has been in excellent form with 18 league goals, could be a doubt after picking up an injury during the international break.
Wood was forced off in the second half of New Zealand’s 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over New Caledonia on Monday, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming clash.
Espírito Santo has confirmed that the 33-year-old will miss Forest’s FA Cup clash against Brighton this weekend, casting doubt over his availability for next Tuesday’s match.
“He went for a scan today and we are still waiting for the result,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “He went to see a specialist to do the scan, so we will wait on the information.
“He is not going to be available for this game. He fell really hard on his hip and there is pain there, so we have to wait.”
Why Wood’s potential absence is a boost for United
Wood’s potential absence for the Premier League clash is a significant boost for United. Forest have had so much success this season, partly due to the clinical finishing of their forward players.
The Garibaldis have scored 49 goals this season from just 37.5 expected goals, showcasing that they are overperfomlng in front of goal.
In comparison, United have a slightly higher expected goals in the Premier League at 39.3 but have scored just 37 goals. Amorim’s forwards have not been firing.
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Looking at Wood’s statistics in particular, his 18 goals in the league have come from just 11 expected goals and only 53 shots across the campaign.
His conversion rate has been a large reason as to why Forest’s counter-attacking style has proven so successful and hopefully United will be able to take advantage if he’s not available next week.
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