Panagiotis Tachtsidis and Claudio Yacob eyeing Forest debuts

Nottingham Forest pair Panagiotis Tachtsidis and Claudio Yacob could make their club debuts in the home Carabao Cup clash against Stoke.

Midfielders Tachtsidis and Yacob joined the club as free agents at the start of the month and are poised to make their first appearances.

Boss Aitor Karanka is likely to make several changes and Liam Bridcutt is among those pushing for a place in the starting line-up.

Karanka has no new injury concerns, while strikers Hillal Soudani (knee) and Daryl Murphy (calf) remain sidelined.

Stoke forward Mame Diouf is nursing a hamstring strain and could be one of several changes made by manager Gary Rowett.

Defender Erik Pieters played the full 90 minutes in last week’s home defeat to Blackburn after shaking off a hamstring niggle and could also be rested.

Bojan Krkic, Peter Crouch, Darren Fletcher and Saido Berahino are in contention for recalls.

Jacob Davenport (hip,) Jack Rodwell, Dominic Samuel and Ben Gladwin (both knee) are still out.