Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton has hinted striker Lewis Grabban is close to returning to action.
The forward has been back in training following a hip injury which has kept him out of action since October.
And Hughton says he has “a decision to make” about whether to include him in his matchday squad to face Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow night.
Defender Scott McKenna is definitely ruled out against the Owls with an ankle problem, while Anthony Knockaert and Tobias Figueiredo are both suspended.
Hughton says Fouad Bachirou (hamstring) is also edging towards a comeback, but fellow midfielders Jack Colback (ankle) and Luke Freeman (groin) face longer spells on the sidelines.
“McKenna will miss out again. He’s not too far away, but isn’t ready to be in contention,” the Reds manager said.
“Colback and Freeman are certainly still going to be a matter of weeks.
“Bachirou maybe isn’t so far away, but he hasn’t really had a period of training.
“The only one who has really trained the last couple of days is Lewis Grabban.
“There’s a decision to make on him, whether for him to be involved in the squad or not. But he’s certainly trained the last couple of days, so probably that’s the decision I have to make.
“We’re comfortable that, from an injury point of view, he’s fine. But of course he has missed a lot of football over a period of time.
“That will be a decision that I will make at some stage today.”
Sheffield United loanee Freeman, meanwhile, has been absent for the last six games and has undergone surgery to correct a hernia problem.
“Luke’s had a hernia operation, which was very successful,” Hughton said.
“For those that know about hernia and groin repairs, there are different types you can have. I think it’s the less serious of the types you can have.
“It will still keep him out for a period of weeks, but it won’t be long-term.”
The suspension of Figueiredo for a fifth booking of the season, picked up in Saturday’s defeat to Brentford, leaves Hughton likely having to choose between Michael Dawson and Loic Mbe Soh to partner Joe Worrall in the heart of the defence.
Dawson was not on the bench as Forest went a seventh game without a win against the Bees, although Hughton says that was simply down to his choice.
“Dawson missing out on Saturday was really a numbers one, with young Loic on the bench,” he explained.
“They are both in contention, and I have a decision to make.”
