Matz Sels close to featuring as Nottingham Forest host Spurs | OneFootball

Matz Sels has missed out for Nottingham Forest against Tottenham Hotspur, with Sean Dyche saying the goalkeeper was close to featuring. The Belgian is absent for a second successive game with a groin issue and John Victor starts for his Premier League debut.

Sels did not travel for the Europa League tie at Utrecht in midweek. John started as Forest won 2-1 at Stadion Galgenwaard.

"It was close. Touch and go. Everyone knows we've had a big injury list. We just felt with this rest coming off eight days, which is unusual for us since I've been at the club, we've got to use that wisely and make sure he's 100 per cent, rather than risk," Dyche told Sky Sports.

Ryan Yates faces a spell out after a hamstring injury in last weekend's defeat to Everton. Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina also remain sidelined. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Douglas Luiz returned in midweek, with Dilane Bakwa among the substitutes.

After today, Forest are back in action a week on Monday, away to Fulham on December 22, their final outing before Christmas.

Dyche has made eight changes from Thursday. Forest team vs Spurs: John, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus. Subs: Gunn, Morato, Luiz, Ndoye, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Zinchenko, Abbott.

Source: Nottingham Post