Joe Worrall made a surprise early return from injury on Sunday, but the Nottingham Forest defender will have to be managed carefully amid a busy week.
Worrall broke three ribs in the 1-0 win at Millwall on January 15 and was expected to be out of action for six weeks.
Instead, he made his comeback less than a month later, playing the full 90 minutes of Sunday’s FA Cup rout over Leicester City - and getting on the scoresheet - as he wore a special cast for protection.
A video clip of him going in full throttle with a diving headed tackle in the 80th minute, when his team were already 4-1 up, has been doing the rounds on social media - typifying the academy graduate’s passion.
But with a quick turnaround to tomorrow night’s trip to Blackburn Rovers, followed by Saturday’s clash at home to Stoke City, boss Steve Cooper will keep a close eye on the centre-back.
“Joe played having not trained so much for the last few weeks,” said Cooper.
“With a three-game week coming up, we’ll probably have to be careful with how he gets managed. One or two others are in a similar boat, but otherwise we’re fine.
“One thing is Joe’s injury and then the other thing is his physical levels, because he’s gone from playing a load of games, then not being able to do much because of the injury and then playing 90 minutes.
“In an ideal world for him there wouldn’t be another game until next weekend, but that’s not the case.
“But we’ve got a squad of players we’re working with and we’ll try to use them wisely.”
Joe Lolley was included in the matchday squad against the Foxes for the first time since November, having suffered a knee problem. But the Reds are still without fellow winger Alex Mighten (also a knee issue).
