Morgan Gibbs-White injury latest as Nottingham Forest boss makes 'don't know' admission

Nottingham Forest have injury concerns as they prepare for a crunch Premier League clash with Newcastle United

Vitor Pereira is uncertain whether Morgan Gibbs-White will be able to feature again this season after the Nottingham Forest ace missed Thursday’s semi-final defeat.

The Reds playmaker was named among the substitutes for the Europa League last-four second leg against Aston Villa. But such was the severity of the facial wound he sustained from a clash of heads in Monday’s 3-1 win over Chelsea, there was never any real likelihood of him getting on the pitch.

Gibbs-White participated in only some of the warm-up at Villa Park, and wore a protective mask as he did so. He could only watch on in frustration as his teammates were thumped 4-0 in the West Midlands and were knocked out of the competition.

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Forest missed their talisman on the night, and there is a question mark over whether he will play any part in their remaining three Premier League games. Asked if Gibbs-White is likely to be involved again this term, head coach Pereira said: “I cannot answer because I don’t know.”

Gibbs-White is far from the Reds’ sole injury concern. They were without several key men against Villa, and that might also be the case for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle United at the City Ground (2pm kick-off).

Midfielder Ibrahim Sangare and winger Dan Ndoye were also unused substitutes in midweek, while full-back Ola Aina was not in the squad at all and wide man Callum Hudson-Odoi’s campaign came to a premature end last month. Centre-back Murillo came on for the final minutes of the game but was not fully fit and suggested he felt his hamstring again.

“I don’t know about Morgan, I don’t know about Ola,” Pereira added. “Callum has finished the season. I don’t know about Murillo. I think Dan maybe can come back. (Today) is the day to understand the situation.”

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Forest go into the weekend’s encounter with top-flight survival almost but not completely secured. It will be Pereira’s job to lift the dressing room after suffering the heartbreak of missing out on a European final.

The Portuguese knows bouncing back will be as much a mental test as a physical one for his injury-hit group. He said: “We need to compete against Newcastle. It is a very important game in the relegation battle. Especially mentally, we need to come back.

“We don’t have time to dwell on this game (against Villa). I believe today will be difficult, but it is a day to recharge and a day to come back.

“We will be with our supporters, playing at home. We will try our best to get points and to finish the situation of the Premier League.

“It is about ourselves and our team. Let’s see what players we have (available) to face Newcastle. We will try to recover and to compete.”

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