Steve Cooper says Nottingham Forest could be without Anthony Elanga at Liverpool on Sunday, to further diminish their attacking options.
The head coach says winger Elanga has been ill over the last few days and that he is a ‘doubt’ for the trip to Anfield.
The former Manchester United man will be monitored over the next few days, with Forest hopeful that he will not remain on an injury list that already includes Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring) and Divock Origi (hip).
“Anthony has been ill for a few days as well. He will be touch and go for the game,” said Cooper. “If he is available, we are not sure if he will be available to start. He was excellent against Luton, so that would be unfortunate.
“Premier League games are really demanding when it comes to the physical aspect of things, so he is a doubt.
“Nobody is going to return to the starting line-up, which is obviously frustrating, particularly at the top end of the pitch, where we are not blessed with a lot of options, because of player availability.”
Elanga set up both goals for Chris Wood in the 2-2 draw with Luton Town last weekend.
Forest have had some positive news with Danilo, Felipe and Nuno Tavares have returned to training following injury, but Cooper played down their chances of a return this weekend.
“They are back in part-training, not full training. Danilo has been out for what feels like a long while, so we’ve really got to be careful with integrating him back in,” said Cooper.
“They joined in with a couple of warm-ups and a couple of non-contact exercises. Hopefully that’s the next step to their recovery.”
Felipe is yet to feature this season, after struggling with a long-standing knee problem.
“It’s not been easy for him. It’s unfortunate because everyone saw, not just how well he played last season, but also how influential he was and the impact he had on others,” said Cooper. “For sure, we have missed that. If we can get him back, it will be a real bonus for everyone.”
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