Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton admits it has been “difficult” to get a chance to see how Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor could work as a strike pairing.
Grabban spent seven weeks on the sidelines with a hip problem, returning in last week’s victory over Sheffield Wednesday, when he came off the bench to clinch a 2-0 result.
He then started the following match at Millwall, with Taylor dropping to the bench, as Hughton continued to opt for a lone front man.
The Reds manager has previously said he wouldn’t rule out playing the pair together, although not for the time being.
Challenges faced
Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton has given an insight into the challenges of trying to build team spirit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Social restrictions have made it more difficult for players to get to know each other outside of work, in the way they normally would.
And for a team which made 14 signings in the summer transfer window, those curbs can make it harder to integrate new arrivals.
Hughton says, in particular, it has not been easy for players who came to the City Ground from abroad.
Prutton's prediction
Nottingham Forest's unbeaten run is set to stretch to three matches, according to Sky Sports' EFL pundit David Prutton.
Forest have collected four points from their last two games.
They followed up their 2-0 home victory over Sheffield Wednesday with a 1-1 draw against Millwall at The Den.
Forest had gone seven matches without a win, six defeats and a draw, before the last two fixtures.
Karanka's verdict
Former Nottingham Forest boss Aitor Karanka expects his old club to climb up the table between now and the end of the season.
The Spaniard says with Chris Hughton at the helm and a squad packed with talented players, the Reds are better than their current predicament suggests.
Ahead of Karanka’s visit to his old stomping ground with Birmingham City on Boxing Day, Forest sit 20th in the Championship table - one point above the drop zone.
Hughton’s side go into the game on the back of picking up four points from their last two outings, hoping they have moved on from a seven-match winless streak.
