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4 months ago
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Nottingham Forest are only two points and two places above the relegation zone.
Recently installed manager Nuno also facing the possibility of a points deduction this season, as Forest have been charged by the Premier League with breaking FFP / PSR rules on spending.
No doubt the Nottingham Forest boss with mixed feelings about the extra demands of the FA Cup, especially as Nuno’s side have needed four games to get past two lower league sides.
This past week seeing Nottingham Forest play twice since Newcastle last did so, drawing at Bournemouth last Sunday in the Premier League, then Wednesday needing extra times and penalties to get past Bristol City in the FA Cup.
Friday seeing Nuno now give his pre-Newcastle United press conference:
“This game has many aspects.
“We must realise we will face a very good team, good players, good manager. Then we will play the game. There are a lot of aspects we can take advantage of.
“We can’t ignore we are playing a team with talent, physicality and intensity.
“You can never reduce the plan to individual players. It’s about the team, about how we can produce the game we want.
“We defended well [in the 3-1 win at St James’ Park on Boxing Day] and took advantage of the spaces.
“Tomorrow is going to be different for sure.
“It will be a tough game, Newcastle are a good team.
“We need to be switched on so we can do it again.”
The Nottingham Forest boss asked about having so many players ruled out due to African Cup Of Nations involvement, injuries and possibly not able physically to start after having played on Sunday and then over two hours on Wednesday night:
“We have to deal with the situation.
“We cannot wait for them to come [back], we never wait.
“Of course, it will be better when we have all the squad available.
“Having them around is important – but having them healthy, prepared and ready to is what we are more concerned about.
“It was a tough game [on Wednesday night].
“We went to extra-time and played a lot of minutes
“We have some knocks and some situations that cause problems.
“We have Gonzalo [Martinez] out, he is not going to be involved tomorrow, and some players have issues that we still have to assess.
“Gonzalo felt something in his hamstring on a run in the last minutes before we took him off. He felt some discomfort. He will have the scan at 7pm today.
“Morgan Gibbs-White had some pain and discomfort… we still have to assess him.
“Chris Wood is getting better, doing treatment every day, but not available for tomorrow.”
As well as Chris Wood and Gonalo Martinez. Ibrahim Sangare, Olaoluwa Aina, Willy Boly and Serge Aurier are also definitely missing due to AFCON involvement.
Whilst after three tough matches in eight days, playing all the minutes, Morgan Gibbs-White is a big doubt having struggled in the final stages on Wednesday night, so Nuno going to leave it late before deciding whether he can be involved against Newcastle United.

 
