Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper says it is “touch and go” whether Serge Aurier will be fit for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.
The defender had been a doubt for Monday night’s 4-3 victory over Southampton, with Joe Worrall having trained at right-back as a precaution. Aurier got the green light to start, but was forced off after little more than an hour and Worrall came on in his place.
With Neco Williams ruled out for the rest of the season, it leaves the Reds short on cover in that department. Left-back Renan Lodi was also forced off towards the end of the clash with the Saints after picking up a knock.
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There was positive news on the injury front in that game with the return of Willy Boly, however. He made his comeback from off the bench after being sidelined since February with a hamstring problem. And although Emmanuel Dennis is ruled out of the clash at Stamford Bridge, Gustavo Scarpa is close to returning from a calf issue.
“Willy Boly returned for a few minutes, and that is really all he could give us because we had some guys who were slightly vulnerable with carrying injuries so we needed some defensive cover on the bench,” Cooper said. “It was great Willy was able to offer us that. It maybe was a little bit soon after the amount of training he's done and the time off he has had.
“Serge walked off and we’re doing everything we can to see if he’s available. Maybe in a different time of the season and if Neco was fit it might be a different situation, but we are going to give him everything we have to see if he can be available . But that’s going to be touch and go.
“Scarpa is back in full training now, so he won't be far off being available. Dennis has been injured. He picked up a knock in training before Southampton and he is still not available.
“It’s still a bit of a mixed bag. Our injury list has definitely been worse, but it’s never something we pay too much attention to.”
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