Striker Taiwo Awoniyi and midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate are in contention to start Nottingham Forest's crunch clash with Leeds United this evening.
The duo made their comebacks from long-term injuries when they came off the bench in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. And head coach Steve Cooper hasn't ruled out drafting them into the XI at Elland Road this evening.
Having the pair available again is a much-needed boost for the Reds at a crucial time of the season as they battle for survival. Both Awoniyi and Kouyate had been in fine form before being stopped in their tracks, and Cooper hopes they can quickly get back to their previous levels.
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"They are in contention to start. It’s a three-game week and some players are coming off the back of international duty as well, so there's the knock-on effect of that," he said. "For sure, we have got to look at all our options in the squad.
"What’s good is that they’ve come back and they’re big characters as well. Positive characters.
"Cheikhou has great experience in the Premier League and he's a big voice in the dressing room. It felt like something was back in the dressing room on Saturday. I thought, 'oh yeah, Cheikhou is back, this is what he brings', as well as what he brings on the pitch.
"He’s a fantastic character, a great guy, very happy, but very committed as well. He’s a real man’s man, in terms of leadership.
"Taiwo got injured at an awful time because we had done a lot of work with him. We'll be honest, he had been a bit up and down in trying to get him into the kind of form he was starting to show. It came at a bad time, when he was playing so well.
"But he’s back now and hopefully he can pick up where he left off. If he can do that - as well as the other boys - it gives us a better chance of doing well."
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