To change a winning team or not to change a winning team.
That’s the tough decision facing Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi this weekend as he prepares to face Derby County for the second time this season.
The Reds were 2-1 winners at Luton last Saturday, ending their mini-slump of successive defeats to return to fifth in the Championship and know a win on Saturday would see them move level on points with second spot.
Lamouchi confirmed during his pre-match media duties that Michael Dawson was fit and available for selection after missing five games through injury, with his return the only likely change to the squad which travelled to Kenilworth Road.
Joe Worrall has been an ever-present in the Forest side, with Chema Rodriguez and Tobias Figueiredo often swapping places, and Dawson’s return will provide the Forest head coach with a big decision to make.
Ryan Yates impressed on his first start of the season following knee surgery, and Lamouchi must decide whether to keep faith with the youngster, with Samba Sow and Alfa Semedo still sidelined.
Elsewhere, Sammy Ameobi continued his good start to his City Ground career with what proved to be the winner a week ago, but promotion winner Albert Adomah was a pivotal figure in the 3-0 victory earlier this season, so he could be a different option from the left.
Tiago Silva was deployed in the number 10 role behind Lewis Grabban and performed well, in keeping his compatriot Joao Carvalho out of the side, and it’s unlikely the head coach would opt to change that system.
Here’s the predicted starting XI:
Samba, Ribeiro, Worrall, Dawson, Cash, Watson, Yates, Silva, Ameobi, Lolley, Grabban.
If you were the Forest boss, what would your starting XI against the Rams be?
