Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is hopeful Serge Aurier’s enforced substitution against Manchester City was simply due to fatigue.
The right-back came off with 10 minutes to go of the 1-1 draw at the City Ground, having required treatment after going to ground. Renan Lodi made way at the same time, with Harry Toffolo and goalscorer Chris Wood the two players brought on.
The Reds are already having to contend with an extensive injury list. But the hope is that Aurier hasn’t suffered anything too serious.
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“I don’t know whether it’s a bit of fatigue. Hopefully that’s all it is,” said Cooper.
“There was a lot of running in the game. The running numbers were incredible.
“We had Jonjo (Shelvey) making his first start, not just for us, but after an injury. Jack (Colback) hasn’t had a great time with illness and niggles, but started as well.
“And we had to change the two centre-backs, because of what went on last week. We won’t hide behind it all, because if we hide behind it I’m giving the players an excuse, giving me an excuse and giving everybody else an excuse, and we don’t want to do that.
“The players just showed an unbelievable mentality. Sometimes you deserve a bit of luck.”
Defenders Scott McKenna and Willy Boly have been ruled out for lengthy spells with the hamstring problems they suffered in last weekend’s defeat at Fulham. Forest are also still without Jesse Lingard (knee and Achilles), Ryan Yates (illness), Dean Henderson (thigh), Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Cheikhou Kouyate (hamstring), Moussa Niakhate (hamstring), Omar Richards (hairline fracture of the leg) and Giulian Biancone (ACL).
The hosts had to come from behind to claim a point against City. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring just before the break, but Wood bagged an equaliser late on with his first goal for the club.
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