Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has admitted that he has requested for centre-back Steve Cook to be re-registered to his 25-man squad ahead of the visit of Manchester City this weekend.
Forest discovered on Thursday that defenders Scott McKenna and Willy Boly will be out of action for six weeks and three months respectively. The defensive pair join left-back Omar Richards, centre-back Moussa Niakhate and right-back Giulian Biancone in the treatment room.
If the Premier League rejects the request to add Cook to their squad, Forest will have only Joe Worrall and Felipe available in the centre-back position for their next spell of matches. Confirming the request in his pre-match press conference, Cooper commented: "Scott McKenna is going to be out for six weeks.
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"Willy [Boly] is looking longer at about three months. That’s not the news we were hoping for but it’s something we have to get on with.
"There’s always a next man up and we have applied through Premier League rules to bring Steve back in. We are expecting that to happen and of course we hope it’s done before the weekend."
Looking ahead to their next fixture against City, Cooper insisted that he was not fazed by the challenge that the Blues pose despite their 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Wednesday night. He added: "Whatever team City play, they’re incredible all over the pitch so we’ll have to be perfect.
"But that is what the club longed for. Every game in the Premier League, home and away, is brilliant and I’m sure this is one our supporters will look forward to."
Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland moved City to the top of the Premier League table on goal difference this week. The Blues could be off top spot before kicking off at the City Ground should Arsenal avoid defeat at Aston Villa in the early kick-off.
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