Head coach Steve Cooper has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Blackpool in this afternoon’s FA Cup tie.
The Reds enjoyed a superb run in this competition last season, reaching the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Liverpool. They will be aiming to do well again this time around, with Cooper placing much emphasis on his team displaying a winning mentality in every game.
They ended their Premier League away hoodoo last time out, picking up their first three points on the road this season. Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal saw off Southampton 1-0 and lifted Forest out of the relegation zone.
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Today’s third round clash at Bloomfield Road completes a hectic week which has also involved a fair bit of travelling. And with a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Wolverhampton Wanderers to come on Wednesday night, Cooper rings the changes against the Seasiders.
The Reds boss names a completely different XI to the one which started at St Mary’s. And he has handed a debut to teenager Billy Fewster, while Gustavo Scarpa makes his first start for the club.
Wayne Hennessey replaces Dean Henderson in goal, with a back line of Neco Williams, captain Steve Cook, Scott McKenna and Harry Toffolo ahead of him. In what looks to be a four-man midfield, Fewster will line up alongside Jack Colback, Lewis O’Brien and Scarpa.
Emmanuel Dennis and Sam Surridge are paired up front. The substitutes’ bench will be made up of Henderson, Joe Worrall, Orel Mangala, Loic Mbe Soh, Brennan Johnson, Ryan Yates, Renan Lodi, Detlef Esapa Osong and Ollie Hammond.
Forest: Hennessey; Williams, Cook, McKenna, Toffolo; Colback, Fewster, O’Brien, Scarpa; Surridge, Dennis. Subs: Henderson, Worrall, Mangala, Mbe Soh, Johnson, Yates, Lodi, Osong, Hammond.
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