Sabri Lamouchi made three changes to his Nottingham Forest side for their opening Championship encounter of what they hope will be a successful 2020.
Forest welcome Blackburn Rovers to the City Ground and the Lancashire play-off hopefuls will face a side which sees a return for Samba Sow, Joe Lolley and Tiago Silva.
Sow missed Sunday’s win over Wigan courtesy of a dead leg he picked up in the victory at Hull on Boxing Day, while Lolley and Silva were both rested before coming off the bench to help the Reds to that narrow 1-0 win just a few days ago.
Sow’s inclusion came at the expense of Alfa Semedo, who along with Joao Carvalho were dropped to the bench, but there was no Ryan Yates in the matchday squad.
With the January transfer window now open, there was still no place for out of favour loan duo Rafa Mir and Aro Muric, though the Manchester City goalkeeper was at the City Ground amid speculation he's set to return to the Etihad Stadium.
The Reds haven’t tasted victory against Rovers in the last nine games dating all the back to 2014, and will be looking to make it three straight wins over the festive period in their last league outing before the Championship breaks for FA Cup action at the weekend.
Brice Samba once again kept his place in goal after his penalty heroics against Wigan, with Chema Rodriguez and Matty Cash operating at left and right-back, with goal hero Tobias Figueiredo partnering Joe Worrall in the centre of the back four.
Ben Watson captained the Reds and will operate in his customary holding midfield role alongside Sow, with Lolley, Silva and Sammy Ameobi aiming to provide the ammunition for leading scorer Lewis Grabban.
On the bench, Carvalho and Semedo were joined by Carl Jenkinson, Jordan Smith, Jack Robinson, Michael Dawson and Albert Adomah.
For Blackburn, former Red Ben Brereton makes his 50th career start as boss Mowbray makes four changes to his starting XI.
Forest: Samba, Cash, Worrall, Figueiredo, Chema, Watson ©, Sow, Lolley, Silva, Ameobi, Grabban. Subs: Smith, Robinson, Dawson, Semedo, Jenkinson, Carvalho, Adomah.
Blackburn: Walton, Armstrong, Rothwell, Bell, Downing, Brereton, Adarabioyo, Lenihan, Travis, Evans, Bennett. Subs: Leutwiler, Williams, Johnson, Gallagher, Graham, Chapman, Buckley.
