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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper names his team to face Preston North End

Head coach Steve Cooper makes two changes to his Nottingham Forest starting XI for tonight’s match against Preston North End.

After Friday night’s crunch clash with Bournemouth was postponed, the Reds return to action at Deepdale this evening eager to get back to winning ways.

They drew 2-2 against Stoke City at the City Ground last time out, with Ryan Yates coming off the bench to rescue a point for the 10-man hosts.

Goalkeeper Brice Samba was sent off in that match for swatting Phil Jagielka around the back of the head and is now suspended for the next three fixtures.

He is replaced between the posts against the Lilywhites by summer signing Ethan Horvath, who comes in for only his fourth appearance in the Garibaldi.

The last time the American stopper featured for Forest was back in September, in a 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough which proved to be Chris Hughton’s final match in charge.

He will be eager to prove a point against Preston, while academy graduate Jordan Smith is the back-up keeper on the bench.

The back line of Joe Worrall, Steve Cook and Scott McKenna retain their places ahead of Horvath, while Djed Spence and Max Lowe are at right and left wing-back respectively.

There is a change in the centre of the pitch as Yates comes back into the XI, lining up alongside Jack Colback in midfield.

James Garner moves into a more advanced role, supporting Brennan Johnson and Keinan Davis as Philip Zinckernagel drops to the bench.

Alongside Zinckernagel and Smith, the substitutes are Tobias Figueiredo, Cafu, Joe Lolley, Alex Mighten and Sam Surridge.

Ahead of kick-off, Cooper's side are ninth in the Championship table, three points below the play-off spots.

Forest: Horvath; Worrall, Cook, McKenna; Spence, Colback, Yates, Lowe; Garner; Johnson, Davis. Subs: Smith, Zinckernagel, Figueiredo, Surridge, Mighten, Cafu, Lolley.

What do you make of the Forest line-up? Have your say in the comments below

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