Lewis Grabban expected to return for Forest

Posted Tuesday, December 10, 2019 by PA

Lewis Grabban can expect to return to the Nottingham Forest starting line-up for Tuesday night’s Sky Bet Championship visit of Middlesbrough.

Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi dropped Grabban to the bench for Friday’s trip to Millwall but, within a minute of coming on just after the hour, scored two goals in a 2-2 draw at the New Den.

Lamouchi will almost certainly opt to return to a back-four against Boro after experimenting with three centre-backs against the Lions.

Forest remain without defender Carl Jenkinson (ankle) and midfielder Samba Sow (hamstring), while defender Yuri Ribeiro is closing in on a return from a knee injury.

Boro will be without top goalscorer Britt Assombalonga after he sustained an ankle injury in Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Charlton.

Boss Jonathan Woodgate looks set to turn to 19-year-old Stephen Walker in Assombalonga’s absence to partner Ashley Fletcher in attack.

Rudy Gestede is to play for the Under-23s on Monday night as he comes back from a hamstring injury, and may yet be on the bench as cover at Forest if he comes through unscathed.

Woodgate at least has midfielders Paddy McNair and Marvin Johnson returning from suspension, but remains without Anfernee Dijksteel, Ryan Shotton, Marcus Browne, Darren Randolph and George Friend through injury.