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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper names his team to face Leicester City - with surprise inclusion

Head coach Steve Cooper makes two changes to his Nottingham Forest side for their FA Cup fourth round meeting with Leicester City.

The Reds will be aiming to claim another Premier League scalp at the City Ground, having previously seen off Arsenal, 1-0, to set up the East Midlands clash.

Lewis Grabban scored the winner in that game against the Gunners, but Forest are set to be without their top scorer for at least two months as he suffered an ankle injury against Cardiff City last weekend.

Cooper’s side were beaten 2-1 in South Wales, putting in an uncharacteristically poor performance, and they will be eager to make up for that against the Foxes.

Immediately after that result, the Reds added defender Jonathan Panzo and striker Sam Surridge to their ranks on deadline day, taking their total number of January signings to five.

Surridge starts on the bench against the Foxes, but there is no space in the matchday squad for Panzo.

There is however, a surprise early return for Joe Worrall after being out of action with broken ribs. He joins Steve Cook and Scott McKenna in a three-man back line.

Jack Colback drops to the bench as Ryan Yates and James Garner take up the midfield spots, with Djed Spence and Max Lowe on either side.

With Grabban out, Aston Villa loanee Keinan Davis starts in attack, supported by Brennan Johnson and Philip Zinckernagel.

There is also a surprise comeback on the bench for Joe Lolley, who has been sidelined with a knee problem since November.

January signing Richie Laryea is also included among the substitutes for the first time, joining Ethan Horvath, Tobias Figueiredo, Cafu, Xande Silva, Braian Ojeda and Surridge and Colback.

The prize for whoever progresses in this afternoon’s tie is a home game against Huddersfield Town in the fifth round.

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

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

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