Nottingham Forest take another step closer to competitive football this weekend when they take on Crewe Alexandra.
Forest have a 100 per cent winning record so far in pre-season. The Reds beat Alfreton Town 2-1 in their opening game before a 2-0 win at Port Vale.
They were victorious on the road again during the week when they beat Northampton Town thanks to goals from Lyle Taylor and Cafu.
There are just over two weeks left until Forest open their Championship account at Coventry City and anticipation of the league season's curtain raiser continues to grow.
But first, Forest must finish their pre-season schedule and next up for Chris Hughton's side is a trip to League One side Crewe Alexandra.
Forest will then take on Aston Villa and Burnley in their final friendly fixtures before travelling to the Ricoh Arena on August 8.
This is what Forest fans should keep an eye out for as Forest play Crewe Alexandra.
Scott McKenna and Joe Worrall partnership
With the Championship season edging closer and closer, boss Hughton will still be trying to work out who will make the starting eleven on August 8.
The Reds had a strong team beat Northampton Town 2-0 during the week - Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna, Ryan Yates, Alex Mighten, Lewis Grabban and Joe Lolley all featured - and a similarly strong team is expected at The Alexandra Stadium.
Speaking after the win at Northampton Town, Hughton revealed his plans to share minutes among the senior players will continue.
He said: "You never know [how preparation is going]. I’ve been around long enough now that the moment you think you are in a good place, then you don’t start well - and vice versa.
“We have a structure, a programme and a plan. It doesn’t always work out equal, but by the time you get to that first game of the season, your main players - the ones who are going to be there or thereabouts starting - need to have had the right amount of minutes in games and in training.
“You always hope you get that right.”
A consistent partnership of McKenna and Worrall will excite Forest fans and provide the foundations on which the Reds can build a squad capable of achieving promotion with.
The duo featured together just ten times last season, but the Reds were beaten only three times when they played alongside each other.
Crewe to name weakened squad due to coronavirus outbreak
Alexandra boss David Artell will be unable to name as strong a squad as he may like as several of his first team squad are isolating.
Assistant manager Kenny Lunt, Shaun MacDonald and forwards Chris Porter and Mika Mandron have all been isolating and have not played many minutes.
Artell told the club’s official website: “We have a few who are self-isolating. One or two have it but are okay, and others have been pinged after being in contact with someone who has had it.
"If it is good enough for Boris to self-isolate then it is good enough for Shaun MacDonald too.
“They are all isolating but will be back soon.
"It is something we have had to live with and although it is not ideal it is probably better to happen now than when the season kicks off."
Brice Samba to return to matchday squad
Having missed out entirely against Northampton Town, Brice Samba will be involved in the matchday squad against Crewe Alexandra.
The 27-year-old shot-stopper came off the bench at half-time to replace Jordan Smith at Port Vale and played the first 45 minutes at Alfreton Town.
Ethan Horvath's arrival is a clear sign that Hughton wants to add competition against Samba and Smith for the number one spot.
"We just rested him," Hughton said about Samba following the win at Northampton Town.
"If I look at the keepers we’ve got, we will allocate certain games for them. For us, it was an opportunity to leave Brice out. He will be involved in the next game."
Discussing Horvath's role at Forest, he added: "We’ll make a decision on that one.
"He’s had to sort his visa out - which hasn’t been a problem. But we’ve got to get the balance, because he’s flown over.
"He will be involved at some stage, but we’ve got to make the decision which game."
