Nottingham Forest facing injury crisis ahead of Liverpool clash | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest Facing Long List of Injuries Ahead of Liverpool Clash

The build up to Liverpool’s clash with Nottingham Forest has taken on fresh intrigue after a striking update from the away dugout. With both sides managing high profile absences and looking to generate momentum, the narrative around this clash has become as much about availability as tactics. Forest manager Sean Dyche set the tone in his press conference, arriving with what was described as an actual written list of unavailable players, a detail that reflects the scale of the challenge facing his squad.

Forest Concerns Mount Ahead of Liverpool Clash

Dyche confirmed that Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored the decisive goal in this fixture last season, “has made good progress” and is “certainly in consideration to be in the squad”. He added, “He is around it… at least we can think about him being back in the fold, in the group, so that will be a positive.” Given Forest’s current situation, even the possibility of one attacking option returning feels significant.

Beyond that glimmer of hope, the rest of the update painted a tougher picture. Chris Wood is awaiting a fresh scan, Douglas Luiz is “a matter of time”, and goalkeeper Angus Gunn is still sidelined. Ola Aina, Dilane Bakwa, Oleksandr Zinchenko and young keeper Aaron Bott are all progressing but remain unavailable. The sheer volume of injuries will inevitably impact Forest’s approach, particularly against a Liverpool side that tends to impose physical and positional demands on opponents.

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool’s Line Up Puzzle Under Arne Slot

While Forest’s list is longer, Liverpool have team news complications of their own. Arne Slot confirmed that Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz “cant play” against Forest, a situation he labelled “far from ideal”. With both players heavily involved for club and country recently, their absence highlights the strain of the current schedule.

Slot admitted that “maybe one or two players have to play in positions they normally won’t do”, suggesting that tactical flexibility and squad depth will be tested again. Liverpool have navigated these adjustments well under their manager, yet away trips like this often hinge on reliability and rhythm, factors influenced heavily by consistency of selection.

One encouraging development for Liverpool concerns Alisson. Slot revealed that the goalkeeper “trained last week and this week”, raising hopes that he could return to competitive action if he comes through the final checks. During his spell out of the team, Liverpool won just three of eight matches, a reminder of his essential role in stabilising the defensive structure.