Nottingham Forest secured their place in the FA Cup semi-finals by defeating Brighton and Hove Albion in a penalty shootout over the weekend, but this victory came with significant repercussions.
The dynamic Midlands team had to face the penalty shootout without their captain, Morgan Gibbs-White, who was substituted just before the end of extra time due to injury. This decision surprised many viewers, especially considering Gibbs-White’s impressive penalty conversion rate, until manager Nuno Espirito Santo clarified that the substitution was necessary because of an injury.
“We will evaluate his condition. He sustained a significant impact against the post, and his leg was not in good shape; he was struggling. In the closing moments, it was evident that we were under pressure. We opted to bring on Morato in hopes of holding on for the penalties,” the Forest manager stated after the match, as reported by Manchester World.
Furthermore, key player Chris Wood was unable to participate in Saturday’s match due to an injury incurred during his international duty with New Zealand. Consequently, he may miss the upcoming game against Manchester United at the City Ground tomorrow evening.
Espirito Santo commented to the media: “We will have to wait and see how Wood recovers. It will be a day-by-day assessment based on his pain levels. He experienced a significant impact to his hip, which is quite painful. We are disappointed that Chris is not available. I cannot confirm whether he will be fit to face United; I am uncertain. It will depend on his recovery progress.”
It is clear that the Red Devils’ chances of achieving a favorable result in Nottingham would significantly improve if either player were unavailable, as they have been pivotal to Forest’s impressive campaign this season.
With that in mind, Anthony Elanga, a product of Carrington, is poised to have the most successful season of his career to date and is anticipated to start the match in an effort to secure another victory against his former team. Meanwhile, seasoned defenders Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, and Ola Aina will strive to challenge United’s attackers as much as possible.
In December 2023, Forest notably defeated the Reds on their home ground for the first time in 29 years. Tomorrow, they have the opportunity to achieve a Premier League double for the first time in their history.
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