Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo expressed a lack of optimism regarding the fitness of his key striker, Chris Wood, ahead of the upcoming match against Manchester United.
The 33-year-old has played for several clubs throughout his career, which has been characterized by frequent changes. However, this season, he has elevated his performance, leading Forest’s surprising pursuit of Champions League qualification with remarkable displays.
Currently, Nottingham Forest holds the third position in the Premier League, ten places ahead of Manchester United, while Wood ranks second in the league’s scoring chart with 18 goals, trailing only Mo Salah.
Unfortunately, during the international break, Santo received troubling news as Wood sustained an injury while playing for New Zealand against New Caledonia. The forward fell awkwardly, resulting in a hip injury.
As a result, the seasoned striker was unable to participate in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton. His absence was keenly felt, as Forest struggled to score throughout the match, which extended beyond 120 minutes. Nonetheless, they secured their spot in the semi-finals by triumphing in the penalty shootout.
Nuno Espirito Santo fears Chris Wood could miss Man Utd match
The Champions League contenders must now focus on their upcoming Premier League match against the Red Devils this Tuesday at City Park.
Nuno has acknowledged that Wood is expected to be sidelined for an extended period, as his condition is “not good.”
“Let’s wait and see. We will need to evaluate him on a daily basis,” the Forest manager stated during his post-match interview (via Metro).
“It all depends on the level of pain he is experiencing. He sustained a significant impact to his hip, which is causing him considerable discomfort. We need to monitor his situation closely. We are disappointed that Chris is unable to join us.”
“I cannot confirm whether Wood will be fit to face United. I am uncertain; it will be assessed day by day.”
Should Wood be unavailable for the midweek encounter against Ruben Amorim’s team, Taiwo Awoniyi may be called upon to fill his role once again. The 27-year-old Nigerian has scored only one goal in 22 EPL appearances this season, with most of those appearances coming as a substitute.
Conversely, Manchester United may welcome back several key players, including Harry Maguire.
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