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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper names his team to face Fulham

Head coach Steve Cooper makes one change to his Nottingham Forest starting line-up for this evening’s crunch clash with Fulham.

The Reds need just one more point to make mathematically certain of a top-six finish. But they are also still not out of the running to catch Bournemouth, in second.

Sam Surridge’s goal made it back-to-back wins as Peterborough United were beaten on Saturday. Ahead of kick-off in the capital, Cooper’s men are fourth in the table, five points below the Cherries.

Read more: Follow the action live from Craven Cottage

Read more: Newcastle fans pile in after Alan Shearer delivers Brennan Johnson verdict

Forest suffered another injury concern at London Road, however. Front man Lewis Grabban had to be brought off barely 15 minutes after coming off the bench.

He is not included in the matchday squad at Craven Cottage. And with Aston Villa loanee Keinan Davis also still sidelined, Surridge is the only senior available striker.

At the opposite end of the pitch, the Reds made it four clean-sheets in five games with their shut-out against Posh. There is a return to the starting XI for Steve Cook tonight, having made his comeback from injury against West Bromwich Albion last week. He joins Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna in the back line, ahead of goalkeeper Brice Samba.

Djed Spence and Jack Colback once again take up the wing-back spots, with James Garner and Ryan Yates in midfield. Worrall, Spence and Yates go into the match fresh from being named in the Championship Team of the Season on Sunday night.

That EFL awards ceremony also saw Brennan Johnson crowned Championship Young Player of the Year. The Wales international keeps his spot supporting Surridge up front, with Philip Zinckernagel making up the attack.

With no Grabban, Xande Silva returns to the bench. He is joined by Tobias Figueiredo, Ethan Horvath, Richie Laryea, Alex Mighten, Cafu and Joe Lolley.

Forest: Samba; Worrall, Cook, McKenna; Spence, Yates, Garner, Colback; Zinckernagel; Johnson, Surridge. Subs: Horvath, Laryea, Mighten, Cafu, Silva, Lolley, Figueiredo.

What do you make of the Forest team? Have your say in the comments below

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