By Callum Wright
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espírito Santo says Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson are injury doubts ahead of their clash with West Ham on Saturday.
Forest go into the game aiming to make it three Premier League wins in a row, while the Hammers are also looking to continue their winning run after beating Manchester United last weekend.
Speaking to the media, Nuno mentioned there is a group of players who are doubts ahead of the City Ground match.
He said: “We have some issues we’re still assessing with one day to go.
“[Gibbs-White] he’s one of those inside that group, Chris Wood also, Elliot [Anderson], Jota [Silva], people that have knocks.”
Gibbs-White has been absent since getting subbed off through injury against Chelsea on October 6.
And while Wood and Silva were present during Forest’s open training session on October 29, Anderson was not.
Striker Chris Wood has been one of Forest’s most talked about players this season, earning himself a Player of the Month nomination in the process.
Nuno was asked about rumours of contract talks with the striker.
“Nothing changes. Chris is ok, he’s doing fantastic for us, this is what is more important, what it means to have him in the team, his goals, and his work. All things will happen naturally,” he said.
“He has a huge amount of respect from all of us, he’s a top professional, he delivers from so many different situations.”
Another player up for Player of the Month is goalkeeper Matz Sels, and Nuno responded on whether the Belgian’s brilliant form is part of the reason Forest has been so defensively solid.
“Confidence plays a big part, not only for Matz but the way he’s transmitting to the team, it makes us much better and we are delighted.”
Forest sit seventh in the table and Nuno has received a nomination for manager of the month, but the head coach has insisted the team must stay grounded and focus on the football.
He said: “The compliments, when they are too much, they can distract us-it’s our job to try and avoid that and stick to our plan, work hard, nothing else matters.
“In all aspects of the game there’s so many things that we need to take care of, the results cannot hide that we still have issues and problems that we want to improve.”
Talking about the threat that their opponents pose, Nuno said: “Good team, very good team, we’ve been carefully analyzing their last game against Man United, good win, they’ll come in a high.
“They are a good group of players, experienced players, very good manager-it’s always so tough so we’re preparing with all the details because West Ham is a very good team.”
The press conference was Nuno’s second of the week – having also taken part in a special event with Warriors United, a club for adults and children with learning difficulties, which he said was a “nice moment”.
“It was a moment for awareness of … the amazing things that people can do,” he said.
“The bond between us, the football club, and the beautiful city of Nottingham, we are creating and getting closer.”
The match at the City Ground kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, and is the first of two successive home games for the Reds before November’s international break.
They also face Newcastle United at home on Sunday, November 10, before travelling to title-chasing Arsenal on November 24.
