Chris Hughton reveals frustrating Nottingham Forest player news ahead of Bournemouth clash | OneFootball

Chris Hughton doesn’t expect Loic Mbe Soh to feature for Nottingham Forest before the international break due to a groin problem.

Mbe Soh hobbled off shortly before half-time in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Coventry City on the opening day of the campaign.

The defender had impressed up until that point, having initially been given the nod alongside Scott McKenna following a pre-match injury to Joe Worrall.

Tobias Figueiredo is now likely to start in Mbe Soh’s place as AFC Bournemouth visit the City Ground this weekend, after the Frenchman was ruled out of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Bradford City.

Speaking to his press conference this afternoon, Hughton gave a diagnosis of Mbe Soh’s groin problem, as well as providing updates on Worrall and Lewis Grabban’s injury situation.

“Loic obviously came off in the Coventry game. He certainly won’t be back before the international break. He’s going to be out for a period of weeks.

“Joe Worrall will miss tomorrow, and the likelihood is that he’ll the midweek game as well.

“We’re still assessing Joe. He’s a little bit different as he is a very durable individual, and sometimes that type of individual can be back a little bit quicker. He’ll miss the next two games and we’ll assess him as the week goes on.

“Lewis Grabban is fit now and has been back in training, and everybody else is fit.”

Forest picked up their first win of the campaign with a cup victory over Bradford City on Wednesday evening, on a night where academy defenders Riley Harbottle and Baba Fernandes started in the heart of defence.

Both players gave a good account of themselves against physical opposition, before both coming off almost simultaneously due to cramp in the second half.

Injuries to Worrall and Mbe Soh, however, mean that Harbottle will be included in tomorrow’s squad to face the Cherries, having impressed alongside Fernandes in midweek.

“Riley will be in the squad,” Hughton added.

“I was delighted with both of them, they’ve both recovered from the exploits of Wednesday night. It was very unusual for two centre-halves to go off.

“They both went off with cramp-related injuries, but both of them have missed chunks of pre-season, and that’s our medical staff would put it down to.

“So Riley will be involved in the squad, and that’s probably testament to the performances from both of them on Wednesday night.”